'More help needed for disabled children'

One in 400 children are born with cerebral palsy

Over the last three decades the number of children suffering from cerebral palsy has tripled, according to a new report.

Medical advances mean that babies born with cerebral palsy (CP) and other profound impairments now have a better chance of surviving.

But Scope, the charity for people with cerebral palsy, say that despite one in 400 babies being born with CP too little is done to help them.

And there are calls for the various government departments to cut the red tape and offer a united approach to helping sufferers.

Good quality information is crucial if children with complex conditions are to benefit from these government initiatives

Richard Parnell, of Scope

Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by failure of part of the brain to develop either before birth, at birth or in early childhood.

It affects the sufferers ability to control their muscles and can vary from being barely noticeable to extremely severe.

No two people are affected in the same way.

As well as affecting movement, some people with CP may have hearing, vision or perception difficulties or an impaired intellectual capacity.

Scope said a combined approach by health, social services and education bosses would mean children getting the equipment they need to live a normal life.

They said at the moment, many requests for wheelchairs, house adjustments and speech aids, suffered lengthy delays simply because they fell in between government departments.

When ordering a speech aid one parent found her child had to be assessed by health officials before the education department would agree to the request.

Richard Parnell, head of research and public policy at Scope said: "Good quality information is crucial if children with complex conditions are to benefit from these government initiatives.

Joint approach

"The 'joined up' approach is vital for delivering the 'whole life' services that can ensure disabled children real equality with their peers.

"If we don't listen to disabled children they won't be 'joined-in' with designing 'joined-up' services. It will be a jigsaw with a key piece missing."

A Department of Health spokesperson said they were keen to offer a more united approach.

"We know that the population of disabled children is not the same as 10 years ago and we are keen to gather more detailed information about the nature of the changes.

"This is essential if social services, health and education are to plan properly to meet current needs."