Short breaks are for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
Short breaks can -
- provide opportunities for disabled children to enjoy themselves and fulfil their potential through safe experiences with or without their parent or carer
- give parent or carers a break from caring, enabling them to have time to undertake what they would like to do, such as -
- leisure activities
- day to day tasks
- spending time with other family members
- education and training opportunities
- enhance the abilities of parents and carers to care more effectively
Universal short breaks can be accessed without an assessment. Providers of targeted and specialist services may have their own criteria and or carry out an assessment through a home visit to make sure they are able to offer the best support.
More specialist short breaks services generally require an assessment through the Children and Families Disability team and or the Health's Children and Young People's Continuing Care.
The Local Offer provides information on the different short breaks that may be available to children and young people and how these can be accessed.