Only 25% of local authorities provide information on accessing key working for families with disabled children

18 September 2012

Campaigners warn that Government SEND reforms will fail without urgent improvements to key working provision

Today, a new report by Every Disabled Child Matters¹ (EDCM) highlights the huge gaps in key working support available to families with disabled children and the lack of quality information to help them to benefit from what is provided.

Families with disabled children are put under extreme pressure by the demands of coordinating a fragmented system of social care, health and education support. Key working is vital to help coordinate services across multiple agencies on behalf of families, so they can get the support they need when they need it.  However, research by EDCM has shown huge gaps in key working provision, little access to quality information on key working in local areas, and continued confusion by local authorities about what key working is.

Findings in the report 'Unlocking key working: information and transparency for families with disabled children' ², include:

• Only 65% of LAs stated that they provided key working and there was extensive confusion about what key working was

• Only a quarter (25%) of LAs provided key working and produced information about their services that told families with disabled children how and where to get support

• Only 19% of LAs provided key working up the age range to disabled young people aged 17+

Key working plays a central role in Government plans to overhaul special educational needs (SEN) and disability provision, as set out in the Green Paper Support and Aspiration: a new approach to special educational needs and disability³. These findings show a huge gap between the current state of key working in England and the Government's ambitions.

Christine Lenehan, EDCM Board Member said:

"Coordinating services for families with disabled children has been recognised as one of the most significant challenges faced by agencies for decades, and getting it right has huge potential to improve outcomes for disabled children. We know key working is effective and it is good news that it is again on the agenda for Government. However, they must show leadership to make sure that the opportunity presented by the Children and Families Bill is taken and all families who need key working can access it. Equally, local authorities must take urgent action to address gaps in key working and improve the quality of the information they provide for families with disabled children."

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Notes to Editors

1. Every Disabled Child Matters is the national campaign to get rights and justice for every disabled child. It is run by four leading organisations working with disabled children and their families: Contact a Family, Council for Disabled Children, Mencap and the Special Educational Consortium. Find out more at www.edcm.org.uk

2. The EDCM report 'Unlocking key working: information and transparency for families with disabled children' is available here:/media/41865/unlocking_key_working.pdf

3. Pathfinder areas are testing how key working will help deliver the single assessment and planning process and 'Education, Health and Care Plans'. Key working support will be available to all families with children with SEN or disabilities who access a personal budget, available to all those with an 'Education, Health and Care Plan' or statement of SEN. Local authorities will also be required to publish a 'local offer' providing clear information on the services available to families and how to access them.