Short breaks give disabled children and young people enjoyable experiences away from their primary carers, contributing to their personal and social development and reducing social isolation.
They also give parents and families a necessary and valuable break from caring responsibilities and disabled children and young people access to inclusive activities in their local community.
There are many different ways to provide short breaks. Each break will differ and depend on the needs of your child and family.
Short Breaks can include:
- group based support – for example holiday clubs, after school clubs, sports groups
- individual short breaks – for example personal assistants, care in the home
What you need to do
Read our Short Breaks Duty Statement.pdf (793Kb) for more information and to make sure your child is eligible to receive a short break allocation and then telephone our Contact Centre on 0345 045 5203.
Contact the Short Breaks team to find out more on 01480 379800 or email short.breaks@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Who can apply for a Short Break?
Through our Local Short Break Offer to disabled children and young people there are three ways in which you can access Short Breaks funding, the Accessing support flowchart (contact centre).pdf (24Kb) provides details.
- If your child does not currently have a social care allocation of services and has high rate Disability Living Allowance (Care) you have an automatic entitlement to a personalised budget of up to £2000. The amount payable is subject to the identified needs and agreed outcomes and the completion of a self assessment form and a short breaks support plan. Examples of these forms are available to download below.
- Via a social care assessment identifying your child’s needs as being eligibility level 2 and a short breaks support plan. For details please see the Short Breaks Duty Statement.
- A CAF (Common Assessment Framework) which we agree meets eligibility level 2 and a short breaks support plan.
If you child is eligible for Short Break funding, a worker from the Short Break team will need to meet with you and your child on an annual basis.
Further sources of help
Pinpoint, a local parent led organisation, that provides support for parents and carers
Support and advocacy for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities is provided by Voiceability
Information, advice and support on special educational needs and disabilities from Contact a Family
Information on Disability Living Allowance and benefit changes is available from GOV.UK