A new National Service Framework (NSF) was launched last week promising to transform care for children and support families where children may become at risk from harm or social exclusion.
The children’s NSF has been widely welcomed by children’s and young people’s organisations, despite concerns over there being no new ring-fenced funding.
The NSF sets 11 standards which NHS and social care providers will be judged on. They cover everything from choice in childbirth to the use of text messages to remind teenagers with mental health problems to take medication.
A new health promotion programme will offer advice on healthy and risk-averse lifestyles to children up to the age of 18.
There is to be more emphasis on early intervention and support, especially where a child may face social exclusion, for example from homelessness, or where parents have drug, alcohol or mental health problems. Population profiles are to be used to help identify young people who may be vulnerable or likely to have poor outcomes.
Service providers must also ensure that staff are suitably trained and aware what to do if they have concerns for a child’s welfare, it says.
The NSF states that health professionals should consult children and their carers over treatment options, to gain informed consent, and to share information about the risks and benefits of medications. Parents and school staff are to receive help with children’s medications.
Children with disabilities and complex health needs should be helped to live ordinary lives, states the NSF. Also, multi-agency care packages can be improved with use of key workers and direct payments.
Tom Wylie, chief executive of the National Youth Agency, welcomed the fact that young people outside of education, employment and care would be given parity with schoolchildren. But, he added: "More explicit details are required on how these standards will be met on the ground and, more importantly, how they will be financed and funded."
Jan Fry from the charity Parentline Plus, said the NSF didn’t go far enough. "More preventive work is needed, this must be a universal entitlement and parents must feel confident about their right to ask for such support."
- NSF is at: www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance
