SHORT BREAKS

Short breaks for disabled children are a key priority in the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme. Short breaks are additional services provided to disabled children and young people to enable them to gain new experiences away from their families and to provide their families with a break from caring.

£269m is being issued to local authorities to secure short break transformation over the next three years 2008-2011. For PCTs, new growth funding has been included in baseline allocations to enable them to work with local authorities to significantly increase the range and number of short breaks. The NHS Operating Framework also sets out a clear framework to improve the health, well-being and experience of services for our young disabled population.

Having met readiness criteria, London authorities are now working towards delivery of the Full Service Offer.

There are two Short Breaks pathfinder areas in London – LB Enfield and LB Sutton.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has appointed the Together for Disabled Children to support the Aiming High for Disabled Children short breaks programme and development of parent participation forums. Together for Disabled Children is a partnership between SERCO and Contact a Family.

Documents

Short_Breaks_Implementation_Guidance

Short_breaks funding allocations

Short Breaks - Staged Progression Framework toward the Full Service Offer

Short Breaks - Capital Programme Practice and Planning

Short Breaks PowerPoint presentation

Going_places: Ensuring the play and youth strategies deliver for disabled children and young people

EDCM Disabled children and the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 - Supporter_briefing – December 2008

Websites / links

Together for Disabled Children

Contact a Family

Every Child Matters / Short Breaks