We are required by law to provide Short Breaks as part of the Local Offer to meet the needs of Children and Young People aged 5 to 18 with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities and their families within Dudley.
Short Breaks vary depending on the needs of the child, young person, and their family. A short break could last a few hours, a day, an evening, overnight or for a weekend. They could take place in or away from the home. It could range from an activity like an afterschool club to an overnight stay with a carer or at a short break unit.
They provide opportunities for children and young people with disabilities and Special Educational Needs to experience positive experiences, activities, and clubs, ideally within their community, that they would not ordinarily be able to access due to their additional needs.
Short Breaks enable Children and Young People to spend time away from their family, develop new friendships, new skills and enjoy different activities in a safe and supportive environment.
Short Breaks provide carers of disabled children a break from their caring responsibilities, time to spend with family and friends, to access their own hobbies or to catch up on day-to-day tasks.
Universal Short Break Activities
Universal activities are open to all our families with disabled children. Our families should be able to access fun activities, and parents receive a break from caring.
Activities can include:
- leisure and sports services
- youth and play services
- public spaces, for example, parks and adventure playgrounds
- Early Years services and children’s centre
- extended services in school including after-school and holiday clubs
- voluntary and community facilities
- Scouts, Guides, Brownies
- sports and games clubs
Targeted Service Activities
Targeted short break activities, you need to:
- live in Dudley
- have a diagnosed disability, and
- be in receipt of disability living allowance (DLA)
There is no further assessment needed to access targeted short breaks. There may be age restrictions applicable dependent on the qualifying criteria, or the nature of the activity.
Specialist Short Break Services
Specialist short break services are for our families with the most complex needs, who require more support than is offered through play and leisure services.
Specialist overnight residential short breaks (staycations) are a break for the parent from their caring role and the opportunity for the child or young person to experience or expand their independence in a supported way. This type of short break can be provided following a Child and Young Person’s Assessment by the Children with Disabilities Team under s17 of the Children Act.
Staycations in short break children’s homes that provides overnight breaks to children, aged 5-18 years, who have unmet social care needs who require specialist support to meet their holistic needs and reach their full potential. This provision is joint funded by the Integrated Health Board and Dudley MBC.
Staycation Foster Scheme
This scheme provides overnight staycations to disabled children, whose needs can be best met by individual care within a family-based setting. This can be provided for children aged 5 to 18 years.
You can find out more about specialist short breaks, and check if you are eligible, by speaking with your child’s allocated practitioner in the Children with Disabilities Team.
Where services are required to meet the child’s needs in the community, the assessment may identify provision of support through the offer of a personal budget including Direct Payments.