The Department of Health today outlined proposals to improve the quality of care for children with complex, long term health needs as they launched the consultation on the National Framework for Assessing Children's Continuing Care.
The Children's Continuing Care Framework proposes to create a tailor made package of care for each child or young person who will need care over an extended period of time due to disability, accident or illness. The package will support the child's parents or carers to manage their care at home or in other settings such as school and will include support from the NHS, Education and Social Services.
Child Health and Safety
The National Framework will assist Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and Local Authorities to obtain a complete picture of a child's health needs so that decisions on funding care packages can be made according to the same set of criteria across the country.
Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said:
"It is important that there is greater transparency around how decisions about a child's care are made. This Framework will ensure that all children who may need continuing care are assessed against the same criteria wherever they live. This new Framework will also ensure that the child and their family are kept at the heart of this process."
Andrew Adonis the Schools Minister said:
"Use of this Framework will enable Local Children's Services to work with their NHS partners to assess a child or young person's long term needs in the community. Use of the National Framework will contribute to how PCTs and LAs deliver their core offer to families of disabled children locally."
The closing date is 31 December.