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<p>The commissioning of health and social care services is the responsibility of clinical
commissioning groups and local authorities respectively. Local commissioners are best
placed to assess the needs of the local population, and commission accordingly. While
waiting times for accessing some individual services for children are reported, there
is no overall waiting time measure for access to services for disabled children.</p><p>
</p><p>Information is collected on wheelchair services; the latest published data
for quarter four 2017/18 shows 82% of children whose episode of care was closed in
that period received their equipment in 18 weeks or less. NHS England is working with
clinical commissioning groups to understand what is contributing to waits above 18
weeks, and consider what actions will help to reduce these.</p><p> </p><p>In 2014,
the Government introduced a new statutory framework requiring local authorities and
clinical commissioning groups to jointly commission services for children with special
educational needs and disability, across health, social care and education. Since
2014, £327 million has been given to local areas to support implementation of these
new arrangements, in addition to the high needs budget for placements for pupils with
complex special educational needs which is £6 billion this year – the highest it has
ever been. Every local area’s arrangements are being inspected jointly by Ofsted and
the Care Quality Commission, in addition to their role inspecting providers.</p><p>
</p><p>The 2015 Spending Review made available more than £200 billion until 2020 for
councils to deliver services to local communities, including for provision of social
care services for disabled children. The Government is conducting a review of the
relative needs and resources of local authorities that will develop a robust, up-to-date
approach to distributing funding across all local authorities in England at Local
Government Finance Settlements, including for children’s services.</p>
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