31 January 2024
The RCSLT are delighted to have contributed to a new report by the Children & Young People’s Health Policy Influencing Group (HPIG).
Today the Children & Young People’s Health Policy Influencing Group (HPIG), hosted by the National Children’s Bureau and the Council for Disabled Children, launched a new report examining the extent to which the needs of babies, children and young people are reflected in the new Integrated Care Systems’ strategic planning in England.
The report, the first of its kind, acknowledges the good work developing in a challenging context of increased demand and stretched budgets. As a member of HPIG, we’re delighted to have contributed to the report, including a section focusing on speech and language therapy on page 15.
The report also identifies areas for improvement around:
- Integration with children’s social care and education settings.
- Clearly identifying leadership and accountability for babies, children, and young people.
- Engaging with babies, children, and young people and setting out how their feedback has been actioned.
- Addressing the needs of children with major and long-term conditions, as well as other minority and vulnerable groups.
It makes a number of recommendations to national government on where it can offer greater support and guidance to ICSs, and it includes examples of good practice, highlighting some of the great work underway in ICSs.