"We could kid on this is going to benefit the kids but no, this is about funding" : cutbacks in services to disabled children and young people in Scotland

Stalker, Kirsten and MacDonald, Charlotte and King, Caroline and McFaul, Francis and Young, Colin and Hawthorn, Moyra (2015) "We could kid on this is going to benefit the kids but no, this is about funding" : cutbacks in services to disabled children and young people in Scotland. Child Care in Practice, 21 (1). pp. 6-21. ISSN 1357-5279

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    Abstract

    This paper presents research, commissioned by Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, examining changes in the availability and accessibility of publicly funded services to disabled children, young people and their families between 2011- 2013. Methods included a survey of voluntary sector providers and focus groups with family carers and (separately) young disabled people. After outlining the wider context of the economic recession, subsequent reductions in public expenditure in the UK and the move towards neo-liberalism in social work, the paper focuses mainly on family carers’ views, with some reference also made to the views of voluntary providers. Carers reported widespread reductions in both the level and quality of services they received from social work, education, the voluntary sector, health and professions allied to medicine, with some children not getting support they had been assessed as needing. There was a move from preventative to crisis work, although some families who appeared to be at ‘tipping point’ were not receiving the help they needed. Tightened eligibility criteria, a rise in unmet need and long waiting lists were also evident. The impact of the cutbacks on families is discussed. It is argued that disabled children's rights under international conventions, UK and Scots law are at risk of being undermined. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for policy and practice.

    Creators(s): Stalker, Kirsten, MacDonald, Charlotte, King, Caroline, McFaul, Francis, Young, Colin and Hawthorn, Moyra ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4114-1462;
    Item type:Article
    ID code:52258
    Keywords:disabled children, cutbacks, funding, young people, voluntary sector, Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform , Pediatrics, Community and Home Care, Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health, Health(social science), Developmental and Educational Psychology, Education
    Subjects:Social Sciences > Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
    Department:Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > School of Social Work and Social Policy > Social Work and Social Policy > Social Work
    Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > School of Social Work and Social Policy > Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS)
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:31 Mar 2015 07:18
    Last modified:05 Sep 2020 02:46
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    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/52258
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