Short breaks

Your child's care package will detail their short breaks entitlement.

Targeted short breaks

Targeted short breaks are activities designed for children and young people who:

• need extra support to take part in activities
• attend education with access to one-to-one or small group learning
• would benefit from social activities with their peers

These activities are staffed with a higher number of professionals who are trained and experienced in supporting children and young people with SEND.  

They are suitable for most children with SEND who attend mainstream education settings or designated special provisions.  

To access targeted short breaks, you’ll complete a self-assessment form and submit this to the team with your consent form.  

The Short Break team will contact you to allocate your child’s short break provision. You will then work with the provider to schedule the support.  

Specialist short breaks

Who can access specialist short breaks

Specialist short breaks are designed for children and young people who:

• have more complex needs
• need highly specialist care that targeted support cannot provide
• have a care package that recommends specialist short breaks

A social worker may recommend specialist short breaks as part of the care package if your child has been assessed as having needs related to their:

• severe learning disabilities
• severe physical disabilities
• severe and profound autistic spectrum disorders
• disability arising out of serious or chronic illness
• complex health needs
• severe sight and/or hearing impairment

Specialist short break activities

These are activities that:

• have more staff than targeted short breaks
• typically offer one-on-one support
• are run by staff who are trained and experienced in supporting children and young people with complex needs

Assessing specialist short break needs

A social work assessment identifies the need for specialist short breaks. Find out more about assessing children who have disabilities

This assessment is presented to the Short Break Panel to identify what resource is needed to meet your child’s assessed needs. The panel is made up of representatives from:

• local specialist SEND services
• schools
• children’s nursing
• Short Break Team
• Disabled Children and Young People Service

They work closely with the NHS when a child needs specialist social care and specialist health care.

The panel will:

• review your child's assessed needs
• consider the need for specialist short breaks support
• decide what's needed which may include access to commissioned short break provision or individual support such as a direct payment or personal budget

The professional who presented your case at panel will let you know the outcome of the panel. They may also share this information with relevant health and care professionals working with your child.

Reviewing care packages

Specialist short break support should be reviewed regularly to look at how it is supporting your child’s identified needs and outcomes.

We'll contact you when your care package is due for review.

Find out more about how the panel makes decisions about specialist short breaks:

Overnight short breaks

Overnight short breaks are for children and young people who have been assessed to need overnight support for their:

• complex health needs  
• severe and profound disabilities

The overnight care is designed around individual needs and care may be provided:

• in their own home
• in a setting outside of their home
• by an individual, a couple or another family