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The Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC) programme builds on, and helps deliver, existing Government policy relating to disabled children, such as Standard 8 of the National Service Framework for Children. This page summarises other key policy contexts for the programme.
The Children's Plan
The DCSF Children's Plan sets out the Government's strategy for children's services. Making services accessible for disabled children and young people is a priority theme running throughout the Children's Plan. For example, the £225 million investment in play opportunities has a particular focus on improving play opportunities for disabled children and young people.
Aiming High for Young People
Aiming High for Young People sets out the Government's aspirations for what young people's services should achieve over the next 10 years, including for disabled young people. In response to evidence that participation helps the development of social and emotional skills, the strategy makes a commitment to focusing on increasing young people's participation in positive leisure-time activities.
Disability Discrimination Act
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, protects disabled children and young people from discrimination in schools and children's services. LAs and schools are required to develop accessibility strategies and plans, respectively, to improve access for disabled pupils. The Disability Equality Duty was introduced into the DDA in 2005. LAs and schools are covered by the general duty to promote disability equality, and a specific duty, which includes a requirement to prepare and publish a disability equality scheme.
Further information on the DDA is available from the Teachernet website, where you can also download Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings, a key training resource. Extending inclusion is a recent resource from the Council for Disabled Children, funded by DCSF, which promotes access to children's centres and extended schools for disabled children and young people.
Improving the life chances of disabled children
The Improving the life chances of disabled people report states that:
By 2025, disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life and will be respected and included as equal members of society.
The Office for Disability Issues, which reports to the Minister for Disabled People, is coordinating cross-Government work to deliver this vision. The report recommends improving support for families with young disabled children by ensuring that:
- they benefit from the childcare and early education provided to all children
- their extra needs are met
- and services are centred on disabled children and their families, not on processes and funding streams.
The AHDC programme builds on these commitments.
Early Support
Early Support is the Government's recommended approach to co-ordinating services across England for families with young disabled children. All LAs should now be adopting the principles of Early Support, and the AHDC programme should build on the delivery of Early Support locally.
Choice for parents, the best start for children: A ten-year strategy for childcare
Choice for parents, the best start for children sets out the Government's long-term vision to ensure that every child gets the best start in life and to give parents more choice about how to balance work and family life. It addresses the particular needs of different groups including families with disabled children.
Removing Barriers to Achievement: The Government's strategy for special educational needs (SEN)
Removing Barriers to Achievement focuses on enabling children with SEN to realise their potential. It is a programme of sustained action and review over a number of years to support early years settings, schools and LAs in improving provision for children with SEN.
The Government's responses to two SEN reports by the Education and Skills Select Committee and the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee build on Removing Barriers to Achievement.
Associated documents
Choice for parents, the best start for children
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Last updated on 14/05/2009
