Short Breaks Services in Cheshire East
Short breaks can last from just a few hours to a few days - from
daytime and evening activities to weekend and overnight or maybe
longer. They provide disabled children and young people with:
- Positive and safe things to do and places to go
- The opportunity to spend time with friends, to develop
personally and socially, and reduce isolation
- The chance to undertake new activities and have new
experiences
They can take place in a community setting, the child's own
home, the home of an approved carer or in a residential setting.
They also provide parents and families with a necessary and
valuable break from caring responsibilities.
Further Information
Provision in Cheshire East fits into three key levels of
need:
Universal Needs
Universal short break services are available to all children.
They promote the inclusion of disabled children and young people in
activities with their peers.
Example: Youth Clubs, Out of School Clubs, Leisure Centres
For up to date information on these activities in Cheshire East
visit the Family Information
Service.
Targeted Needs
Some disabled children, young people and their families will
need additional support to access a short break. The list of
commissioned short break projects (PDF, 119KB) in Cheshire East
shows those funded by the local authority to provide this targeted
support. Each service may operate its own eligibility
criteria and, in order to understand what support is required, may
undertake its own assessment.
Complex/ Specialist Needs
These services are for children with more complex or critical
needs. These needs will usually be assessed by Children's Social
Care working closely with the family and other agencies.
Further information is outlined on the Services for Disabled Children page.
Short Breaks Statement
Cheshire East Council has published its Short Breaks
Statement (PDF, 339KB), which outlines the short breaks
services available to families with disabled children and young
people. The statement explains the type of services available, how
these have been designed to meet the needs of families and how
they will continue to be developed in response to feedback from
parents and carers, children and young people.
We will regularly consult with disabled children, young people
and their families on the short break services provided in Cheshire
East. For an example of what some young people have told us, please
refer to our photographic exhibition
and virtual gallery.
We will continue to develop and review this statement in the
coming months. To feedback your comments, please email Aiming High Short
Breaks.
