Short breaks, activities and respite care for children with a disability

Do you look after a child or young person with a disability?

You can have a break from being a carer, and your child can enjoy new experiences and make new friends through our short breaks and respite service.

We feel that all families with disabled children should have the support they need to live ordinary lives, as a matter of course. So we want to give families more confidence, choice and control.

We want to create services that respond faster where help is needed and improve the quality and quantity of services.

What is a short break?

Short breaks allow disabled children and young people to spend time away from their families.

They can last from a few hours to a few days, and can include weekend or week long breaks and holiday activities. Activities can take place at home or away – at an approved carer's home, in the community or in a residential setting.

What activities and services are available?

We want to use a fair, understandable and transparent eligibility criteria so that short breaks is a preventative service not used just for those families at points of crisis or under threat from family breakdown.

Short breaks are split into the following categories:

  • Universal Services are for those children and young people who qualify for lower rate disability living allowance (DLA) or receive School Action Plus support at school. However, all disabled children should have access to most universal and mainstream services.
  • Targeted services are for children and young people who qualify for higher or middle rate disability living allowance; have a statement of SEN; attend a special school; have a placement at a special facility; receive support form the Early years Teaching Support service or through the Early Support Programme or are supported by the Inclusion Bursary Fund.
  • Specialist services are for those children and young people with a severe learning disability or severe physical disability or complex health need, who meet the current Children's Disability Service criteria and require a high level of service in emergencies.

Find out more: Our list of breaks and activities for disabled children

Get involved – can you help?

We are looking for people who can offer occasional day-care or overnight care for children with disabilities.

Being a short break carer does not require a lot of time. Care can range from an hour or two, to a week or more. Sessions usually take place at weekends, during school holidays or after school.

You'll get all the help and support you need, and we'll pay all of your costs.

Short breaks services statement – what you can expect from us

We've put together this document to give you more information about:

  • how short breaks are funded
  • how we select which short breaks to supply, and
  • the long term plans for the short breaks service.

You can download the Short Breaks Services Statement from our page:

Enquiries

Why not contact us to see how we can help you? Some of our services are open to all, with no need for an assessment.

For more information please contact the short breaks team.