'Missing millions' leave those living with disabilities short-changed

Published on Wednesday 28 January 2009 23:14

THOUSANDS of disabled children and their families are being failed by Scottish ministers who should be ensuring millions of pounds more is spent on neglected services, campaigners claim.

The attack on the SNP has come after new figures that show budgets for disability services have not increased in many parts of the country – despite the Scottish Government receiving a 34 million windfall from Westminster after a major UK-wide campaign to improve the lot of families of disabled young people.

Labour described the issue a "national scandal" and joined calls to ensure funding is increased in future years.

Instead of ring-fencing the extra money, as happened south of the Border, the cash was subsumed into the overall financial settlement between central and local government.

Charities say that means an estimated 70,000 disabled children in Scotland are being let down, with no specific guarantees in place to ensure spending will grow and services improve.

Following a major review that identified serious shortcomings in the level of support for children with disabilities, the Treasury gave the Scottish Government a 34 million slice of a 340 million cash injection agreed by Westminster in 2007.

Ministers announced the money would be given to local authorities in the financial settlement covering 2008-9 to 2010-11 without any ring-fencing, under the SNP's concordat agreement that gives Scotland's 32 local authorities more freedom in how they spend their money.

But campaigners say they should have ring-fenced the cash to ensure a neglected section of society is given the help it needs, and have voiced anger that some councils appear not to be increasing.

Richard Hamer, Capability Scotland's director of external affairs, told The Scotsman: "There has been little visible commitment to spending the 34 million settlement from Westminster resulting from the Aiming High review on disabled children.

"The government argues that, under the concordat, it is for local authorities to decide how best to deliver the national goals and outcomes under the National Performance Framework.

"The big problem is that there is no specific mention of disabled children, young people or their families in the framework. As a result, there is nothing to suggest that anything is going to be done to improve services for disabled children, young people and their families."

He said disabled children were being "left behind" by a lack of specific measures to recognise their particular needs.

"Capability Scotland is therefore urging the government to recognise the priorities of Scotland's disabled children, young people and their families. We want to see mechanisms in place to monitor local delivery of services for disabled children, young people and their families to ensure that they are delivered to the highest possible standard."

Mr Hamer added. "Improved access to respite care, more education, training and employment opportunities to help disabled children make the transition to adulthood, and better access to better quality, affordable childcare must be prioritised by government leaders."

The call comes as new figures obtained by The Scotsman reveal that five councils – Scottish Borders, Stirling, North Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire and Clackmannanshire – have not increased spending on disabled children, despite the 34 million windfall. Several others said they "did not recognise" the 34 million, and did not disclose whether or not they had increased funding.

"We are not aware of this funding nor have we received additional funding. Having discussed this with other colleagues across the country, they have confirmed no knowledge of additional funding," said Stella Everingham, head of children services at Scottish Borders Council.

Labour accused SNP ministers and local authorities of failing some of the country's most vulnerable young people.

Rhona Brankin, the party's Scottish education spokeswoman, said: "It's a national scandal that the 34 million that came from the Treasury for the families of disabled children does not appear to have been spent on them.

"These are some of our most vulnerable children and they and their families should be supported by adequate respite care, in their education and in their health services.

"It's not good enough for ministers to say this money has been given to local authorities, because this research shows many local authorities are simply unaware of it."

Ellenor Anwyl, director of Contact a Family Scotland and chair of the pressure group For Scotland's Disabled Children – which campaigned for the extra money – said: "We are deeply disappointed that the 34 million earmarked to improve services for disabled children and their families in Scotland has not been used for this purpose.

"We would urge the Scottish Government to guarantee that any future funding is ring-fenced."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are committed to supporting children with disabilities and their families. Local authorities also have statutory obligations to meet the needs of disabled children and under the historic concordat between central and local government, councils have received record funding, with an increase of 13.1 per cent over three years, to help them do so. The concordat also includes a commitment to make progress towards providing an extra 10,000 weeks of respite care each year for vulnerable groups including disabled children."