Short Breaks Service Statement

We have been developing the new Short Breaks offer, in conjunction with Parent Carers’ Council (PaCC) and parent carer feedback. The following statement gives information to families living in Brighton and Hove who have a child or young person with a special educational need or disability (SEND) about the services currently on offer.

This statement includes information about:

• the current range of short breaks available in Brighton and Hove
• eligibility criteria for short breaks in Brighton and Hove
• how to access short breaks

Why we need a short breaks service statement

Local Authorities are required to publish a statement about short break services for children and young people who have disabilities and their families. This is set out in the Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011. This statement has been developed in line with all current legislation relating to short breaks.

What short breaks are

The government's short breaks guidance identifies that short breaks give children and young people who have SEND the opportunity to join in with an enjoyable activity away from their parents/carers. Short breaks allow children and young people to take part in activities, make friends, develop independence and have fun. Short breaks also provide parents/carers with a break from caring responsibilities, allowing time to be spent with siblings or work.

Short breaks can occur during the day or evening, overnight or at weekends. Short breaks can take place for a few hours and be used by all children with SEND. Short breaks can also take place for a number of days and be more specialist provision. They can take place in different settings such as clubs, leisure facilities, the family home or a residential setting. Local Authorities must have regard to the needs of those carers who would be unable to continue to provide care unless breaks from caring were given to them. 

Who can access short breaks

All children and young people aged 0 to 25, who have a disability (as defined in section 17(11) of the Children Act 1989) and live in Brighton and Hove can have access to a short break.

Universal short breaks

Universal short breaks are short break services for all families of children with SEND which are available without an assessment.

To be eligible, children and young people must: 

• live in Brighton & Hove
• be 0 to 25 years old  

Parents make direct contact with the service provider. There may be a small charge for some services. There are also a range of discounts available with the Compass Card, and the Carer's card.

Find out more about Universal short breaks, the Compass Card and the Carer's Card.

Targeted short breaks

For Targeted short breaks, eligibility is linked to the child or young person: 

• Living in Brighton and Hove
• Being aged 0-25 

And any of one the following: 

• Being the subject of an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP)
• Attending a Special School or Specialist Facility Placement
• Being in receipt of middle to high level Disability Living Allowance (DLA) 
• In receipt of a Direct Payment (under 16)
• Being in receipt of a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (16+)
• Has highly specialised needs and has undergone a social care assessment 

Find out more about targeted short breaks.

Specialist short breaks

Children and young people in Brighton & Hove are eligible for specialist short breaks if they have a moderate to severe learning disability and/or a severe physical disability and their needs can only be met only through the input of specialist services. 

In these circumstances, the relevant professional working with the family (such as a social worker or social work assistant) will complete a Strengthening Families Assessment to consider the child and family’s needs and what package of support would meet those needs. 

Find out more about the referral process and the services on offer for specialist short breaks.

The provision of Short Breaks in Brighton & Hove underwent a review between November 2023 and April 2024. A new offer began in April 2024. 

The review resulted in eight Short Breaks providers being engaged to deliver a variety of Short Breaks activities across Targeted and Specialist groups.

During the period from Easter to the summer holidays in 2024 we worked closely with PaCC and parent carers to understand the specific requirements and develop the offer accordingly. In the 2024 summer holidays, over 678 sessions were booked with Short Breaks providers, compared with 300 sessions in the 2023 summer holiday. Of these, 244 sessions were attended by children supported by 1:1s.

We're committed to expanding the provision of 1:1 support with Short Breaks providers and increasing availability from Easter 2025 in order that children and young people with more complex needs can enjoy the activities alongside their peers. 

This year, we have worked collaboratively with PaCC to host monthly parent carer forums, to hear and respond to feedback around the short breaks offer. We will continue to work with parent carers and PaCC to identify key areas for development across Short Breaks. Key areas which are currently being addressed include: 

• increased provision for under 5s and over 16s; 
• increased provision for children with complex needs; 
• a longer day of provision; 
• and family fun days.  

We will continue working with Short Breaks providers to enhance access to information on the booking site, based on feedback from the wider SEND community. 

Parents can book the various activities on offer through Eequ.

Eligibility is checked at the point of booking a place. Services may make a small charge for a place. Families in receipt of a direct payment can use this to fund a place. 

No further or new assessment is required. 

Direct Payments 

Families can use Direct Payments to pay for a Short Break activity. 

Find out more about Direct Payments. 

We are actively working on expanding our payment options for SEND Short Break services. Our goal is to enable all our SEND Short Break providers to accept Direct Payments, making it more convenient for parents and carers to access these valuable services. 

Currently, only a select number of providers are set up to accept Direct Payments. However, we anticipate that by the time parents and carers are booking activities for the 2025 Easter programme, they will have the option to use these to pay for these services across all of our SEND Short Break providers. 

We understand the importance of flexibility and accessibility when it comes to supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities. By broadening the acceptance of Direct Payments, we aim to make it easier for families to access the support and services they require. 

Improving 1:1 support

We are also collaborating with our specialist Short Breaks providers to ensure that, wherever possible, children and young people who need 1:1 support receive that from the provider’s own staff or the child or young person’s PA.  

We understand the importance of 1:1 support being consistent and reliable so that confidence and trust can be developed. It is also important that parents know that this support is available and confirmed at the time of booking. We are working with providers to ensure these expectations are met.  

This project is happening alongside the creation of a PA (Personal Assistant) Register in the city. The PA Register will help families find local, qualified, and trustworthy staff that they can employ to support their child using Direct Payments. More details about the PA Register will available on the council website moving forwards. 

During the 2024 Summer holidays, our residential settings (Drove Road and Tudor House) ran a daycare provision for children and young people who are eligible for specialist short breaks. The provision was a huge success, and families fed back positively regarding the sessions. You can read some of our feedback below:

This is an incredible inclusive club that our son LOVES. He would be lost without it as it's the only club he can access weekly and during school holidays. Staff are the best, booking/price point incomparable.

Just wanted to email you to say that the new provision operated by DSDT / Link Up has lived up to all my expectations. It’s great! 

I know it’s not been easy to get something in place that is fit for purpose since Extratime - but so far I am thrilled as I’ve had confidence they can cope and she’s really happy. Thank you for organising it.

My child would come to the holiday sessions every day if they could. They are always welcomed and the team and Coaches always make them feel comfortable to join in and play with the different groups on the day. The support and encouragement from the coaches is outstanding. Not only does my child enjoy the football but I have noticed their self-confidence, self-regulation and communication skills have improved over the weeks.

We intend on providing a similar service in the 2025 summer holidays, with further details available on the council website moving forwards.  

The Short Breaks Strategy is in the final stages of being consulted on with parents / carers, and our Parent Carers’ Council (PaCC). The strategy gives an overview of the priorities for 2024 to 2027 within the wider context of Short Breaks. 

In order to improve the experience for children, young people and parent carers we need to be confident that there is a consistent approach across Brighton and Hove. This isn’t just the offer of services but our ethos, our values and our culture. 

Priorities for the Short Breaks Strategy in Brighton and Hove

1. Developing targeted holiday short breaks that meet the needs of children and young people with complex needs.

We will:

• expand the range of providers to meet the needs and offer variety for school holidays
• utilise the special schools as a familiar venue for children and young people
• provide additional 1:1 support through specific PA support
• utilise and expand our existing provision at Drove Road and Tudor House
• consider all age groups

2. Providing a stable, core group of providers to build confidence and trust with families.

We will:

• engage with providers to address any concerns through post session feedback
• provide training to encourage confidence of staff and build trust with families
• encourage stay and play sessions ahead of holidays to build rapport
• encourage providers to ensure consistency of staffing with children

We're committed to continuing to develop the Short Breaks offer in partnership with families.

Find out more about how local authorites should provide Short Break care.

If you have any questions or would like to share feedback about short breaks, send an email to Short.Breaks@brighton-hove.gov.uk