Short Breaks & Charities Webinar - June 9th
We had an informative and supportive session designed for parents, carers of young people with SEND to
find out what short breaks are available through the council, giving families valuable time to rest, recharge and step back from their caring role.
What is defined as Short Breaks / Wraparound Care and what the Local Authority is required to provide...
You can see the presentation slides from this session on the link below...
The presentation slides from this webinar are available below...
Below are the Parent/Carer Questions from the session and responses from Steven Arnold – Strategic Commissioning Programme Manager, Childrens and Families - CWaC
1. Is there anything available for me to attend or go to within my area? I live in Ellesmere Port.
Yes, you can register with Endorphins and book on available Energise sessions which are delivered in Ellesmere Port. The details of how to register and the dates and times are located on the Endorphins website Home - Endorphins Group UK. I would also direct you to the Livewell site which has further details of clubs and activities in your area Home | Live Well Cheshire West
2. My child is at school in West Cheshire but we live in Cheshire East — can I use West Cheshire services? Unfortunately, not however Cheshire East Council have a range of activities in their area also delivered by Endorphins. The details of how to register and the dates and times are located on the Endorphins website Home - Endorphins Group UK
3. What are the future plans for Short Breaks in Cheshire West and Chester?
The Short Breaks Service is currently being recommissioned and due to be in place from the 1st of April 2027. This will look to respond to feedback and engagement we have had with Children, Young People and their Parent/Carers. It will look to introduce more variety and choice in the short break offer with multiple providers afforded the opportunity to bid to deliver the provision. We will also be moving to an online centralised hub which will offer individuals looking to access short break services up to date information and advice as well as a calendar of events with the ability to book sessions.
4. How can people access short breaks? What are the eligibility criteria?
To access the short breaks groups all you need to do is register with endorphins before booking. Your child does not need a formal diagnosis but this is a SEND specific provision. To access community connections you must be in receipt of higher of middle rate DLA/PIP. To access a direct payment, commissioned care and support or short breaks at Pinewood you would be required to have an assessment of need completed by Children’s Social Care and be deemed to have eligible needs.
5. What options are there for children and young people with very complex disabilities?
It is fully dependant on the individual needs of the child or young person. Some children with complex disabilities may still be able to access our group supported activities with Endorphins. If this is not suitable then you may benefit from an assessment of need carried out by our children’s social care teams and if they are deemed to have an eligible need the Social Worker will discuss all available options. These may range from commissioned care and support, Direct Payments, respite at our Children’s Centre (Pinewood) or other more tailored solutions that meet the identified outcomes for the child or Young Person.
6. A lot of activities have vastly increased in price — for example, Buzz Youth Group from £10 for a 2-hour session to £35 for a 1.5-hour session — however there have been no increases in the Community Connections funding to reflect this. Are there any plans either to increase the CC funding or for the local authority to support organisations such as Disability Positive to cover the costs of the short breaks they provide?
While we are aware of the increased costs parents/carers are experiencing and the impacts this is having on the number of bookable sessions that can be met by the Community Connections money, as detailed in the recent budget consultation like many councils, we’re facing rising costs and growing demand. We can’t keep doing everything the same way, so we need to focus resources on what matters most and rethink how services are delivered. We’ve already planned savings of £44.7 million over the next four years. However, we still need to find another £40 million to stay financially sustainable. Despite this we remain focused on what residents told us matters most to them: protecting care services, supporting vulnerable people and continuing to invest in our communities. This has meant that there are no current plans to further reduce the level of funding budgeted for short breaks and the community connections money will remain at the current level. In relation to supporting local organisations such as Disability Positive we have worked hard with the local market to ensure that all small and medium size businesses (SME’s) and charitable organisations have equal opportunity to put themselves forward for the Short Breaks Commissioned service.
Please visit our YouTube channel for past webinars where you will find a wealth of information regarding SEND
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