Practice Implications

The challenge

● Ensuring that disabled children and their families experience social inclusion when using services and activities in out-of-school times.

Ways Forward

● For all members of the community and the local authority, including elected members and officers, to be committed to meeting the rights and entitlements of disabled children to ensure their social inclusion in mainstream out-of-school services, including play and leisure

● For local authorities and organisations to carry out an audit of out-of-school provision for disabled children and young people

● For local authorities to appoint more “bridging” staff so as to facilitate the inclusion process in mainstream settings, including youth, leisure, play and childcare services

● For Children’s Information Services in local authorities to disseminate accurate and up-to-date information for families of disabled children about services available

● For local authorities to increase services for disabled children to support them and their families during out-of-school times, such as holiday play schemes, buddying schemes, childcare, leisure passes, short breaks and youth services for the over 12s.

Steps for improved practice

● All social care staff working with children should attend training that helps them understand the disadvantaged social position of disabled people and their own ability, as staff, to counter this

● All social care staff should recognise that disabled children have rights and entitlements to service provision

● Training on feeding, administering medicine, changing and lifting disabled children should be made available to out-of-school staff.