Mencap's feasibility study on the National Centre for Early Excellence, which was commissioned by the DfES and presented to ministers in March 2005, was released to the public last week following pressure from the sector and a Freedom of Information request.
The centre, which would work with local authorities to develop services for disabled children from nought to five, was expected to be under development in this financial year.
But the DfES issued a statement last week warning that the financial implications of agreeing to fund a national centre for some years are 'significant'.
The report recommended that the Government supports the strategic development of the centre with funding from 2005 to 2010. The costs involved in running it have been estimated at between 5.2m and 5.8m.
The DfES said that the Feasibility Study report will be considered 'alongside other priorities' in the Spending Review 2007 and that a detailed business appraisal will be undertaken, outlining options for 'how such a centre might be funded and the benefits and costs of each model'.
Lesley Campbell, national children's officer at the mental health charity Mencap, said, 'We are concerned about early years services being developed without due consideration for the growing number of disabled children.
There will be 3,500 children's centres by 2010 but they don't have the information about disability on which to base decisions.'
Richard Parnell, head of research and public policy at Scope, said that he is 'deeply concerned' that decisions have been put on hold until 2007. 'It is vital that the centre is given priority so that services are co-ordinated properly in line with the outcomes of Every Child Matters and the current workforce reform.'
