The Government is aiming to improve the quality of life for families with disabled children who are struggling to find appropriate childcare. More than half of all families with a disabled child are estimated to live, or have lived, in poverty, while around 17,000 families in the UK have more than one disabled child.
Local authorities currently receive funding through the General Sure Start Grant to enable them to support settings in meeting the cost of any adjustments made for the disabled, but money is short for equipment, staff training, minor building adaptions, additional staff or therapy.
The Daycare Trust welcomed the additional funding, but said that its own research into the difficulties of finding childcare suggests that the Government 'may be trying to squeeze a lot out of a very small pot of money'.
Emma Knights, Daycare Trust joint chief executive, said, 'If you are looking at the cost per child over three years, it adds up to 500, which is not terribly meaningful.
'What we would like to see is families exercising choice about the settings they use, and the money being used to give that child the support needed.
This could mean having separate pots of money available locally, being used on a flexible basis.'
She added, 'Ensuring that families receive information about extra support is crucial.'
* See special report on disabled services by children's commissioner Philippa Russell, page 10