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Tories To Cut Disability Red Tape

July 16, 2009

Families of disabled children will get one-off assessments by “crack teams” of medical experts under plans by the Tories to cut red tape, it has emerged.

Writing in the Independent, Conservative leader David Cameron said the current system left families in “a world of bureaucratic pain”.

The Tory leader’s severely disabled son, Ivan, died in February aged six.

Mr Cameron wrote about the confusion he and his wife Samantha felt when they learned of Ivan’s disabilities.

I am determined to make life simpler for parents
David Cameron

He is due to make a speech on this subject at the Research Autism conference in London.

Mr Cameron said: “Life for parents of disabled children is complicated enough without having to jump through hundreds of government hoops.”

Forms and queues

He said parents of disabled children currently faced answering the same questions repeatedly, writing out large numbers of forms and waiting in phone queues.

Mr Cameron added: “I am determined to make life simpler for parents.”

Ivan died after suffering with cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy.

Describing his feelings on learning of Ivan’s disabilities, Mr Cameron said it felt like being on a journey which he never intended to take, without a clue as to which direction to go in.

He also reiterated plans to halt the closure of special schools.

The conflict of interest whereby local education authorities both decide who gets specialist education and pay for it needs to be resolved, Mr Cameron added.

The Tory leader also promised an increase in the number of health visitors and a clear entitlement to respite care.

2 Comments leave one →
  1. Rumbold's avatar
    July 19, 2009 10:23 am

    I really hope that they follow through with these proposals.

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  2. samedifference1's avatar
    samedifference1 permalink*
    July 19, 2009 12:19 pm

    Me too. All except the one about special schools. Most of them SHOULD be closed, and we should only keep open a few that are really needed, so that parents and children have a choice between mainstream and special education.

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