Disabled Children Continence Support Survey
An on-line survey by Cerebra concerning the accessibility and suitability of local Continence Support arrangements for Disabled Children can be accessed by clicking here.
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Consultation on the revision of the ‘Working Together’ guidance.
The Department for Education (DfE) has opened a consultation on its proposal to update the 2018 ‘Working Together’ guidance. It has summarised the overall aim of the update as a…
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A welcome judgment concerning social care charges
A local authority accepted that a disabled person had eligible needs for support to develop and maintain personal relationships, and provided funding for him to attend a social and life…
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The State of Social Care in Wales
A submission to The Senedd Health & Social Care Committee concerning the state of social care in Wales by Ann James and Luke Clements can be accessed by clicking here…
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PANS, PANDAS & Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII)
PANS and PANDAS are severe childhood impairments with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive behaviours, tics or eating restrictions that develop suddenly: conditions that can be accompanied by changes in normal behaviours, personality…
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The Problem with Fast Track in Wales
As previous posting on these pages have sought to highlight,[1] there are in our opinion profound problems with the Welsh Government’s Guidance concerning the process by which eligibility for Continuing…
Read moreAssociate Professor post
We are seeking to further strengthen our disability research programme at the School of Law, Leeds University (closing date 15 May). For details, click here.
Read moreImportant Joint statement
To demonstrate support for the Cri de Cœur / call to action by three leading reviewers involved in Safeguarding Inquiries – click here
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School transport as a human right
There is an extensive body of English and Welsh law that requires local authorities to provide school / college transport for disabled young people.[1] What is often forgotten, however, is…
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She was provided with a leaflet.
Flicking though the current (March 2023) batch of Local Government Ombudsman’s Children and Education complaints decisions is like re-watching Groundhog Days. More than half of the complaints were not, for…
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Autism and Parental Blame
Parent Blame is not simply a problem encountered by families when dealing with Children’s Services. It is, therefore, very welcome that West Midlands ADASS (the Association of Directors of Adult…
Read moreFII Seminar
For details of a FII (Fabricated or Induced Illness) event in Gloucester on 14 March click here.
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462% increase in children’s ‘deprivation of liberty’ applications
A report published by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory highlights the ‘extreme vulnerability’ of children who are the subject of High Court applications that seek to deprive them of their…
Read moreParental Blame and PDA
For a new research report on this issue by Alice Running & Danielle Jata-Hall, click here.
Read moreChair in Disability Law
The School of Law, Leeds University is looking to appoint a Chair in Disability Law - for details click here.
Read morePublic Services Ombudsman for Wales
The PSOW is considering investigating the fitness for purpose of (and complaints about) 'Carers: Needs assessments'. For details click here.
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I love my dog.
A provocative New Year posting from my good colleague Rachel Adam-Smith. . _______________ I love my dog. He’s non-verbal. I love…
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A sufficiency of carers support services
John Bangs OBE[1] reflects on the recent UN carers rights decision and its implications in relation to the duties of local health and social care authorities to provide a sufficiency…
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Impoverished councils
An interesting complaint concerning (among other things[1]) a prolonged and significant loss of respite care for a young person transitioning into adult services. Due to challenges resulting from his impairment,…
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A Landmark UN carers decision
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has handed down an important decision concerning the rights of unpaid carers in the case of Maria Simona Bellini v.…
Read moreA National Care Service for Wales?
A report by a Welsh Government convened ‘Expert Group’ has been published. For the announcement by Julie Morgan MS click here and for the report click here.
Read moreHealth & social care: cost of operating ‘challenges’
For a Senedd article on this issue click here.
Read moreOn-line focus group 19 November
The University of Galway wishes to hear from disabled children and young people about the impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on different aspects of their lives. For details…
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Fit for purpose disabled children’s assessment guidance
What would ‘fit for purpose’ disabled children’s assessment guidance look like? At the School of Law, the University of Leeds, this is what we hope to be researching in the…
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NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) ~ Ombudsman report
The Health Service Ombudsman has published an important CHC report concerning the failure of an NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - now known as an Integrated Care Board (ICB). The…
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Double standards
The current political farce / tragedy has meant that a shaming report[1] concerning the institutional abuse of disabled young people has failed to attract the attention it deserves. The report…
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Social care under-funding and the NHS
Senedd Research has published an interesting analysis of the problems that social care under-funding are causing the NHS.[1] The analysis starts with the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee’s finding[2]…
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Parent Blame in the NHS
The Kirkup Report[1] – published earlier this week – identified the scandalous treatment of mothers in maternity and neonatal services in East Kent. It uses the words ‘blame’ / ‘blaming’…
Read moreFalling short
For a scholarly review by the Nuffield Trust that assesses ‘How far have we come in improving support for unpaid carers in England?’ click here.
Read moreCarers cost of living
For a Carers Wales Policy Briefing on the cost-of-living crisis for unpaid carers in Wales click here.
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Troubling conclusions
A parent refused to sign a council’s safety plan (relating to support for her disabled son) because it implied that she had on one occasion refused to allow workers…
Read moreCommunity Care 30 years on
For a brief article reviewing the last 30 years of social care law - click here.
Read moreConference ~ Leeds 18 October 2022
For details of a Cerebra / Leeds University School of Law Conference (on-line and in person) click here.
Read moreCare Home Commissioning report
Senedd Cymru Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee has published a report on Care Home Commissioning which can be accessed by clicking here.
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The duty to meet needs
What can be done when a disabled person’s or a carer’s assessed social care needs are not being met – either because no care and support is available or because…
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What exactly is going on in Bristol?
In ‘Clustered Injustice’ I refer to one of the key insights gained from working on the Cerebra research programme with disabled children and their families. It may be obvious to…
Read moreCerebra Annual Conference
5th October 2022 in London entitled ‘Barriers to Breakthroughs’: for details click here.
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FII (Fabricated or Induced Illness) Survey
The disabled children’s charity Cerebra is concerned about reports from families with disabled children which suggest that a significant number have been accused by practitioners of creating or exaggerating their…
Read moreCovid Inquiry
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is launched with the publication of its Terms of Reference – for details, click here.
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New NHS Continuing Healthcare Framework
The Department of Health and Social Care has published a revised NHS Continuing Healthcare Framework – a copy of which can be accessed by clicking here. A handout of a…
Read moreLong-COVID discrimination
For a Scottish Employment Tribunal judgment that found a claimant who suffered from long-COVID to be a disabled person in terms of the Equality Act 2010 click here.
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At last – something sensible on FII
Allegations by professionals that families are guilty of FII (Fabricated or Induced Illness) appear to be proliferating as do training programmes that seek to alert social care and health professionals…
Read moreOffice of National Statistics report
Following the High Court judgment finding concerning the unlawful discharge to care homes of hospital patients with asymptomatic Covid, a report by the ONS notes that all disabled people were at greater risk…
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No more than ‘reasonably practicable’
Councils do not have to charge for care and support services under the Care Act 2014, but if they do the Statutory Guidance states (para 8.2) that in determining…
Read morePetition to introduce Personal Health Budgets in Wales
For a copy of the submission by Ann James and Luke Clements to the Senedd Petitions Committee concerning Petition P-05-1106 – click here.
Read moreCare proceedings: parents with a learning difficulties
For important High Court guidance on this issue click here: see paras 105 – 108.
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Government concedes carers’ hospital discharge rights
An earlier posting referred to Baroness Pitkeathley’s amendment to the Health and Care Bill which – although opposed by the Government – was passed in the House of Lords by…
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The NHS in Wales and the social care workforce crisis
The current edition of ‘Senedd Research’ highlights two important social welfare issues – namely the serious problems with the Welsh NHS and the social care workforce crisis. In relation…
Read moreWebinar Parent Carer Blame
For details of an update research webinar on 27 April 2022 click here
Read moreCouncil Contempt
Welsh Council found to be in contempt of court for its failure to address the needs of a young disabled man – click here for further details.
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