Campaign successes

EDCM has run many successful campaigns with the help of our supporters. Have a look at the list below to find out more.

• Disabled Children and Health Reform - January 2012

• Disabled Children's rights - April 2011

• Disability Living Allowance - February 2011

• Funding allocations - November 2010/ January 2011

• Mumsnet nappy campaign - August 2010

• EDCM Parliamentary Reception - July 2010

• Disabled children's manifesto for change - January 2010

• Health Early Day Motion - June 2009 and EDCM Health reception - May 2009

Disabled Children and Health Reform - January 2012

In October 2011, over 1000 EDCM supporters and friends of The Children's Trust, Tadworth contacted their MPs to call on the Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley, to focus attention in the health reforms on meeting the needs of disabled children and young people.

In January 2012, the Department of Health announced a Children and Young People's Health Strategy to improve outcomes for children and young people, and the formation of a Children and Young People's Forum to make recommendations to the Government.

Disabled Children's rights - April 2011

In April 2011, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) ran a consultation asking the public to tell them what duties there should be on local authorities to provide services. Some of the duties they were asking about covered services for families with disabled children and children with special educational needs. If these duties were taken away, disabled children would not have the legal right to services and support.

Over 1300 of EDCM's supporters wrote to Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and his department saying how important it was that these duties were retained. This prompted a positive response from DCLG stating that they will not be removing the duties on local authorities for disabled children's services. 

Disability Living Allowance - February 2011

In February 2011, 900 EDCM supporters responded to the DLA consultation raising concerns that PIP proposals would have a negative effect children and families if extended to under 16s. In response, the Government's confirmed that:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will not be extended to disabled children in 2013/14.
• The Government will only look at transferring children onto PIP when they can 'demonstrate it provides a fairer, more objective and more transparent alternative to the current arrangements'.
• The Government recognises that a specific assessment should be developed to ensure that the needs of children with long-term health conditions or impairments are properly considered.
• That under 16s will not be onto PIP without a public consultation and any decisions made will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny
• The £1billion cut in spending on DLA will not apply to under 16s

Funding allocations - November 2010/ January 2011

There was no clear announcement in the 2010 Spending Review about the level of funding for disabled children's services. Therefore EDCM supporters emailed their local MP and asked them to write to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education and Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, to request a clear statement to be sent to local authorities and Primary Care Trusts on funding for services for disabled children and their families beyond March 2011.

Following successful campaigning by EDCM supporters, in December 2010, the Government announced that they will be giving local authorities £800million over four years to fund short breaks for disabled children. 

Mumsnet nappy campaign - August 2010

Mumsnet and EDCM joined forces and asked supporters to email David Cameron asking him to take action to stop Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) from placing limites on the number of nappies disabled children can recieve. 

This prompted a positive response from the Prime Minister who has highlighted to PCTS that: 'Pads (nappies) should be provided in quantities appropriate to the individual's continence needs. Arbitrary ceilings are inappropriate'. A follow up supporter action relating to this was launched in October 2010 - find out more!

EDCM Parliamentary Reception - July 2010

Over 1000 EDCM supporters invite their local MP to our Parliamentary event at the House of Lords in July 2010. The event saw the launch of EDCM's new briefing 'Disabled children: an agenda for the new government', and gave the new coalition Government the chance to respond to our recommendations.

The event was a huge success, with excellent speeches from a disabled young person and a parent of a disabled young person. Sarah Teather MP, Minister for Children and Families also set out the government's vision for disabled children.

Disabled children's manifesto for change - January 2010

Before the General Election 2010, EDCM asked its supporters to email their local MP and ask their party's Manifesto lead to read the Disabled children's manifesto for change and consider the recommendations.

In response to this, all three parties invited a group of young disabled people on the CDC Steering Group to meet with them and discuss any issues. The meeting was with key Ministers as well as the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative Party Manifestos leads. You can read more about the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative meetings in our news stories.

Health Early Day Motion - June 2009 and EDCM Health reception - May 2009

These two actions together had over 1500 supporters getting involved, and emailing their MPs to support a Health Early Day Motion, and attend a Parliamentary reception at the House of Commons. Both actions were timed for the launch of 'Disabled children and health', a briefing that set out recommendations for health authorities to ensure disabled children and their families received health services that met their needs. You can read more in our news story.