Health Minister to launch multi agency approach to support young children with disabilities in Cumbria

On Friday 7th March Cumbria Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership, supported by the Department for Education and Skills and Department of Health, will be holding a one day conference, 'Together from the Start', at The Abbey House Hotel, Barrow in Furness. The Conference will launch new government guidance and recommend innovative approaches to joint working for all agencies involved in the education, health and welfare of young children with disabilities and their families. The event will provide an active springboard for developing local improvements in service delivery across Cumbria. 

The Rt. Hon. John Hutton MP, Minister of Health, will be speaking at the Conference along side representatives from Social Services, Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust, North West Children's Taskforce and parents. 

County Councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education says 

"This is a really good opportunity for all services to come together and share good practice in supporting young children with disabilities and their families. All agencies have a responsibility to identify the needs of a child at an early stage to make sure that they have the best possible life opportunities. I am sure that everyone attending the conference will be able to share knowledge and best practice." 

Joyce Miller, Inclusion Officer at Cumbria Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership who is organising the Conference says 

"Representatives from all agencies in Cumbria that support children with disabilities are keen to "join up" in order to provide early identification of difficulties, effective joint assessment practices and improved partnership with parents through positive intervention programmes in order to maximise life chances for children and better support families. The recent Government guidance helps to focus the thinking of all involved in service planning and delivery to young children with disability."