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Children's Services

Special Needs and Disabilities

In accordance with the Children Act, all disabled children are children in need.  The Act defines a category of children in need for whom Children's Services should provide services, if necessary, to safeguard and promote their welfare. A child is defined by the Act as being in need if:

  • he/she is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him/her of services by a local authority under this part [of the Act];
  • his/her health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired, without the provision for him/her of such services; or
  • he/she is disabled

NB. "development" means physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development and "health" means physical or mental health - (From Children Act, Guidance and Regulations, Vol. 6, p5-6)

The following help and advice is available for children with special needs:

 

Consultation on draft eligibility criteria

Comments are invited from all interested stakeholders on the draft eligibility criteria used to determine access to some specialist children's social care services. The draft eligibility criteria and consultation response questionnaire can be accessed below. The closing date for this consultation is 12 June 2009.