Short breaks
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)
What is a Short Break?
Local authorities provide short breaks for families with disabled children to support them to continue to care for their children at home and to allow them to do so more effectively. Short Breaks can be provided by Universal services, SEN specific services (targeted) which can be found on the Local Offer.
How to apply for Short Breaks?
If you child is unable to access Universal or SEN specific services you can apply for Commissioned services which offer weekend, holiday and youth clubs.
If you would like your child to access Commissioned services, please apply on the link below.
Some children require much more support and may require a Social Care Personal Budget to access Short Break provision.
To determine eligibility families need to undergo an assessment of their child and family’s needs by social services, the assessment may be completed by a social worker or social care reviewing officer.
PLEASE NOTE IF YOUR CHILD IS AGED FIVE OR UNDER DO NOT USE THIS LINK, PLEASE MAKE CONTACT WITH THE SERVICE DIRECTLY USING THE CONTACT INFORMATION IN APPEALS BELOW.
Appeals
If you are unhappy with the outcome of a Short Break decision please contact the manager of the short break service in the first instance:
shortbreaks@trafford.gov.uk / 0161 912 2060
Following this if you believe the issue has not been effectively resolved then parents should contact the Integrated Customer Experience Team to raise a formal complaint.
Commissioned Services – Weekend, Holiday and Youth Clubs
The Council currently fund three services to deliver weekend and holiday clubs and they also fund two Youth Groups. These are called Commissioned services.
The Commissioned services are open to those children and young people who are unable to access mainstream services and who do not receive any additional support via a short breaks plan.
Sport Works and Gorse Hill Studios for 5 – 11 years (school year 1 to end of year 6)
Sport Work and Gorse Hill Studios for 11 – 18 years (school year 7 to end of year 13)
Sense are running Get Out There (GOT) Holiday clubs for children and young people with a diagnosis of Autism
Find an Activity on the Trafford Directory
Disabled children should have the opportunity to play, socialise and have fun alongside their non-disabled peers.
For some young people they will need additional support to access mainstream groups and your worker can discuss ways this can be supported.
It may be that your child is unable to access mainstream activities so your worker may recommend our specialist activities that are highly supported with trained staff.
A wide range of activities can be found here on the Trafford Directory:
- If your child does not need support in order to access activities have a look at the activities that children with or without disabilities can go along to.
- If you are a young person and do not need any specific help to get to and enjoy activities. Check out what's going on near you in the young people channel.
- If a child or young person needs some extra support in order to access activities have a look at these activities that have been designed specifically for children or young people with disabilities.
More information
More detailed information about short breaks that are available in Trafford can be found in our Short Breaks Duty Statement which is published every year.
Trafford Council regularly reviews short breaks and recently reviewed the eligibility criteria alongside parent carers and health colleagues.
Who else can help
Trafford SEND Information and Support Service (SENDIASS) provide free, impartial and confidential information, advice and guidance to both parent carers and young people on all matters relating to special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
Trafford Parents Forum Trafford parents who have children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
Trafford Family Information Service (FIS) can also help you find activities, services and childcare.
If the needs of your family mean you are experiencing difficulty finding suitable childcare Trafford Family Information Service Brokerage service may be able to provide additional help.
See more in Independent Advice and Support