Disabled Children's Service Eligibility criteria
There are a variety of support and services available in the City that everyone has the right to access, whether they have a disability or not.
These are called universal services and include such things as education, health services, sports and leisure facilities. Leicester's Local Offer contains information about support and services in Leicester.
If your family’s circumstances are such that universal and targeted services alone cannot meet your child’s needs, and you can’t find support through the Local Offer Website, the DCS will aim to offer additional support.
Parents, carers, all disabled children and young people can contact us directly for support and information but referrals are made through The Duty and Advice Service . There are some rules about what levels of support can be offered. We will ask you for information to help us understand your needs and help you to find suitable support and services for your child or young person. All children and young people eligible for support will have additional needs and/or a disability, as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
Eligibility criteria levels
Level 1 - Universal support and services
The child or young person will have some additional needs and/or a disability. They can access universal services but may need some information about what is available. Information about universal and targeted services can be provided by contacting the Disabled Children’s Service or the Local Offer.
An assessment is not needed for you to receive information alone.
Level 2 - Targeted support and services (short term) activity based breaks
The child or young person will have additional needs and/or a disability. They will not be accessing any out of school activity and will need support to do so. The DCS will provide support to find and access one activity.
Once a child or young person is accessing one short break we can provide information about other ones, but we will not be able to support the young person to attend more than one activity. This is to ensure that we can support as many children and young people as possible. The case will close after a support offer but if the activity is not seen as suitable, or comes to an end and the child or young person still needs support, a further referral can be made.
Allocation of a Support Worker
- Short assessment and ‘Supporting Me’ plan to identify what support is needed
- Identification of an activity: this could be any sort of activity break - sports, dance youth club, swimming and other activities, and will be based on the individual’s preferences
- Short term support can be provided to attend the activity until the child or young person can go independently
- Travel training where appropriate
- Loan of equipment or training to providers to support inclusion
Level 3 - Targeted support and service (medium to long term) activity based
The child or young person will have additional needs and/or a disability, plus the child or young person will not be able to continue attending the activity without ongoing support. As level 2 with medium to long term support to continue to attend an activity. This may be a worker to support or a referral to a specialist service.
Level 4 - Specialist support and services including at home
The child or young person will have additional needs and/or a disability and the child’s or young person’s needs are complex and having a significant impact on the family. These families are likely to be allocated a Social Worker or Occupational Therapist.
A range of support may be offered including:
- support to meet personal care needs in the home
- overnight short breaks to avoid family breakdown
- specialist equipment or adaptations to the family property
- where there are significant concerns about the child’s or young person’s welfare and safety
- Carers Assessments
A Single Assessment will be completed to identify need. Support services will be offered depending on the outcome or sooner if the situation is urgent.
An Occupational Therapy Assessment to support needs in relation to moving & handling, specialist equipment, adaptations and housing.
A Carers Assessment to look at the impact of caring for a disabled child or young person can be requested.
The type of support will be discussed and agreed with the family and reviewed on a regularly basis - at least 6 monthly.
Where there are concerns for the child’s safety, Child Protection Procedures may be applied but the social worker will make the parents aware of these concerns.
Where the need is for adaptations to a property or specialist equipment, an Occupational Therapist will be allocated. They will undertake an assessment and, where eligible, will arrange for advice, equipment and or adaptations.