The ES Trust Consortium, comprising more than 50 voluntary,
community and private sector organisations, including NCB, is
celebrating today's announcement from the Department for Education
that they have been awarded the contract to extend Early Support,
the successful government initiative, to young people and families
with children of all ages.
The extension of Early Support and key working is one of six new
contracts - totalling £6 million - handed out by the Government in
a bid to help deliver key reforms to support children with special
educational needs (SEN) or disabilities.
Early Support helps parents from the moment their child is
diagnosed, particularly if they are identified as having severe or
complex difficulties. Early Support promotes the provision of key
working so that all families and young people have help to navigate
the system, as well as providing help and advice on the child's,
young person's and families' particular requirements and
priorities.
Dr Kim Bevan, the new Early Support Director, said: "Members of
our consortium have worked with Early Support for a number of years
and we are delighted that the principles are being taken up for
older children and young people. The strength of the Consortium
comes from the fact that we represent an extensive range of
families and professionals.
"The Department for Education Green Paper on SEN and Disability
identifies Early Support as a key approach to meeting the needs of
children, young people and families. Early Support has been
successful in the early years - the aim now is to ensure that it
informs and supports the development of an integrated model of
working with disabled children and young people of all ages and
their families.
"Achievement for All, who are part of our delivery team, will
lead on the work in schools, developing an integrated approach to
supporting schools, children, young people and parents, bringing
together Early Support and Achievement for All principles,
approaches, materials and training. Wherever possible we aim to
avoid duplication of effort and we aim to enable a joined up,
streamlined approach to support across the sector."
Dr Hilary Emery, Chief Executive of the National Children's
Bureau said: 'We are delighted to be involved in a rich consortium
building on and extending the original Early Support work and
providing an integrated approach to meeting the needs of
disabled children, young people and their families."
Sarah Teather MP, Minister for Children and Families, said:
"We're proposing some of the biggest reforms to special educational
needs and to help disabled children and we're testing out the best
ways of doing this over the next year. But it's important that
children, young people and their families get help and support now,
from organisations they trust.
"That's why we're funding and extending programmes that have
been successful so far and that parents have told us they value -
like short breaks and helping young people make the often difficult
transition from school to employment or training."
Anita Kerwin-Nye, Director of 40-strong coalition The
Communication Trust - a member of the ES Trust Consortium - said:
"The Communication Trust is delighted to be part of the ES Trust
consortium. Families with disabled children too often struggle to
get help, support and access to services. We have lobbied hard with
other partners for the successful 0-5 programme to be extended even
further so more families can benefit from timely information and
intervention."
The ES Trust consortium are calling for the statutory,
voluntary, community and private sector, for parents and young
people to join the consortium's endeavours to improve services for
children and young people with additional needs. For more
information or to be involved email Kim Bevan at kim@estrust.org.uk