£1.9m boost for disabled children (From Daily Echo)
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Disabled children set to benefit from £1.9m council grant
6:30pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News
£1.9m boost for disabled children
HAMPSHIRE children with disabilities are to benefit from short activity breaks thanks to a £1.9m council grant.
Voluntary organisations and council-run projects across the county are to get cash to provide aid for youngsters and their carers as part of a wide range of social care and support services.
The money will help schemes that give disabled youngsters the chance to take part in activities that able-bodied children often take for granted.
The man in charge of Hampshire County Council’s children’s services, Cllr Roy Perry, has allocated a total of £1,830,258 to voluntary groups, and a further £146,449 to ventures run by the authority.
They include the Wonderland Project, which provides a range of arts-based pursuits at arts centres around the county, as well as other activities at the council’s country parks, special schools, a children’s centre and museum.
On top of grants to schemes within the council’s short breaks programme for children with disabilities and their carers, cash is going towards piloting a new Bridging Worker project, helping disabled youngsters take part in mainstream recreational and leisure activities they would otherwise be unable to participate in.
Cllr Perry said: “I am pleased to approve these grants. We know from the consultation we have done with families that access to holiday play schemes and short breaks projects such as the ones receiving grants today is what they value the most.
“The Bridging Support Worker scheme is a new venture and one which I hope will ensure even more children with disabilities are able to access a wide range of activities which their non-disabled peers take for granted.
“The county council is committed to making sure activities are fully inclusive and that every child has the opportunity to achieve their potential and experience a range of educational and recreational activities.”
The grants have been evaluated by a panel made up of parent representatives and council officers.
More funding will be announced during the financial year, while smaller allocations of less than £5,000, including applications to support individual children and young people, will also be assessed.
