What is Short Break Care?
Short Break Care is sometimes known as or referred to as ‘respite care’. The current definition of Short Break Care is the provision of support and access to a range of fun and interesting activities for children and young people with disabilities.
What is the vision for Short Break Care in Salford?
To meet the needs of children and young people to be able to take part in activities both in and outside of their home and to support parents/carers to have a break from caring responsibilities.
What does the law say about Short Break Care?
There is a legal requirement as per the Children Act 1989 and the Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011 (the Short Breaks Regulations) for local authorities to do three things:
- To ensure that, when making short break provision, they have regard to the needs of different types of carers, not just those who would be unable to continue to provide care without a break;
- To provide a range of breaks, as appropriate, during the day, night, at weekends and during the school holidays;
- To provide parents with a short breaks services statement detailing the range of available breaks and any eligibility criteria attached to them. Please see Short Break Statement in the 'External links' tab.
What Short Break Care is on offer in Salford?
- A range of universal and targeted services for example group activities, that are identified in the Local Offer for children and young people with special educationa needs and/or disabilities.
- A range of specialist and highly specialist services identified following social care assessment for those who need more specialist support.
How to find and access short breaks?
- The eligibility criteria for short break care services for disabled children in Salford is outlined in the summary table on the Short Break Care statement in the 'External links' tab. It provides a clear overview of the different levels of need and support services available to families.
- There are short break care providers that you can acccess without a referral. Visit the Local Offer for universal or targeted services that may be able to meet the needs of your child. See Groups and Activities page for more information.
- For specialist and highly specialist short breaks, please refer to Salford BRIDGE (Children and Families Portal) for an assessment of need. Please visit the Children and Families Portal. You could also talk to health, education or social care staff such as a Health Visitor, Teacher, Nursery staff or Early Help Practitioner, who could assist you with this. Our key contacts details page can be found in 'Related Links'. For parent referrals, please select 'Child Needing Support'. If there are any safeguarding concerns, please select 'Child Protection'.
- Contact Local.Offer@salford.gov.uk if you need further support or guidancee
Want to know more about the groups and activities available in Salford? Visit our Groups and Activities for Disabled Children page.