Short Breaks introduction
Short Breaks for carers of disabled children
Short Breaks are fun, interesting and safe activities for children and young people with disabilities. Short Breaks benefit both disabled children and their parents/carers*:
- children benefit from new interests, relationships and activities
- parents can attend to their physical and mental wellbeing and maintain and develop social networks
Short Breaks should be used to support the ability of parents to care for their disabled child and any other children they may have.
The purpose of this Short Breaks Statement is to detail the range of available breaks and how to access them.
* As defined by The Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011 (2), “carer means a person who provides care for the disabled children and who is – the child's parent or a person who is not the child's parent but who has parental responsibility for that child"
Who are Short Breaks for?
Southend-on-Sea City Council's Children's Short Breaks are available to children and young people if they:
- have a disability**
- require support to join fully in leisure or other hobbies
- live in the city of Southend
- are aged between 0 to 18 years
**The Equality Act 2010 defines disabled as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a "substantial" and "long-term" negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities. Short Breaks are only for children and young people who have a disability. This includes:
- sensory impairments
- learning disabilities
- autism spectrum disorder/condition
- neurodevelopmental disorders/condition
- communication difficulties
- physical impairment
- chronic or life limiting condition
- complex health care needs
Short Breaks services available in Southend-on-Sea
In Southend there are two different types of Short Breaks which are accessed in different ways:
- universal and targeted short breaks provide families with access to some short breaks' services without any assessment
- tailored short breaks are for children who require more support than available from the local offer. A social care assessment is required to access tailored short breaks. The assessment will help to understand needs and how short breaks can support
The Local Offer
The Local Offer is available to all children and their families without requiring an assessment of need.
Details of leisure services and activities within the area are found within the Local Offer which provides information advice and guidance on support and services for children and young people with SEND and their families, including organisations offering short break services.
For more details on the range of available breaks and how to access them visit the SEND Local Offer.
Is there a cost?
Families will be expected to pay the same as anyone else for all general leisure activities, sports clubs and out of school clubs.