Short Breaks - Print version

What are Short Breaks?

Sometimes families who have children or young people with a disability benefit from a break from their caring responsibilities. Short Breaks give children and young people who have a disability 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 a break from caring responsibilities.

See our Short Breaks Service Statement [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/31080/coventry-city-council-short-breaks-statement] for full details about what Short Breaks Coventry City Council offers and any eligibility criteria attached. The same information has been used to create this website. 

Who can access Short Breaks?

All children and young people who have a disability and live in Coventry are entitled to receive a Short Break.

Children and young people can access short breaks if they:

• Live in Coventry
• Have a disability as defined by section 17 (11) of the Children Act 1989 [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/section/17]. 

There are different types of Short Breaks available in Coventry.

Eligibility criteria is applied to determine the type of service that children and young people are able to access based on their individual needs and circumstances.

Considerations

When accessing a short break provision, you need to evidence if the young person can access HAF, community short breaks or community activities like scouts or football. 

If the young person can attend these provisions, they do not meet the threshold for targeted short breaks. 

If the young person has not attended these provisions, have they been explored? an explanation of why the young person cannot attend these activities needs to be evidenced. 

Exceptions would be if a young person is supported 1:1 or 2:1 at all times while in all settings and evidence of this will need to be provided. 

 

Different types of Short Breaks

Universal Services in Coventry 

There is a wide range of activities provided by organisations in the community which all children and young people can access such as Scouts, Brownies, sporting clubs and various youth clubs.  These clubs may set their own criteria, for example the age of the children that each club/ activity is suitable for.

Children and young people with a disability should be able to access these activities if they want to. The people who run these activities have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to make sure children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and can access them.

To access universal services, parents, carers and young people should contact the provider directly. A list of these activities and organisations can be found on Coventry’s SEND Local Offer [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/localoffer]. The Local Offer has been designed to provide information and support for parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 

You may also be able to find support from Coventry's Family Hub service [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/familyhubs]

Coventry City Council Short Breaks Services

The Coventry City Council Short Breaks Service is run by the Children's Disability Team (CDT). 

The council runs 3 types of Short Break:  

1. Community Short Breaks [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/3] Community Short Breaks provide group activities for children and young people with a disability to relax, have fun, make new friends and develop independence skills. Activities last up to 2 hours during term time and school holidays. Our aim is to ensure that all children accessing the service have the support they need to engage in community based activities. These short breaks are available for children aged 5 - 17 years old who live in Coventry and have a disability. This activities are suitable for children and young people who can be supported in a small group setting and do not require 1:1 or 2:1 support at all times. 
2. Targeted Short Breaks [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/5] Short Breaks allow children and young people with a disability to take part in activities, make friends, develop independence and have fun, which also provides parents/carers a break from caring responsibilities. Targeted short breaks are for children and young people who, based on an assessment of their needs, require additional support to access activities (1:1 or 2:1 support). Support is available through the provision of a support worker. In these circumstances, the relevant professional involved with the family (e.g. a social worker, early help worker or school representative) will complete an assessment to consider the child and family’s needs and what package of support would meet these needs. 

Targeted Short Breaks packages are approved at the Short Breaks Panel [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/7]. The Panel meets monthly and is chaired by the Operational Lead for the Children's Disability Team. 

3. Specialist Short Breaks [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/6] (Overnight) Specialist Short Breaks gives families a break from caring responsibilities while the child or young person is looked after in a residential setting overnight, the number of nights can vary based on the child or young persons needs

4. We also operate a Direct Payment Scheme [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/8] for Targeted Short Breaks.  

A direct payment is the sum of money that Coventry City Council will pay directly to you, so you can pay for your child's assessed care and/or support, instead of the Council arranging it for you.  

The money that you are given is to be used for the following reasons only:  

• To pay an agency or PA for the support they provide (type of support will be agreed at short breaks panel) 
• To only pay for the hours of support agreed at short breaks panel 
• To pay for a DBS for the PA before the support starts and is required to be updated every 3 years (a new DBS is required even if they have one with another employer) 
• To pay for employee liability and HMRC tax/NI costs (this can be supported by using Penderel's payroll) 

What if a child does not have a professional involved with the family?

If a child or young person does not have a professional worker, the school or a family hub can complete an early help assessment and attend the Short Breaks Panel. A parent/carer can also refer their child or young person via the MASH [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/31/children_and_families/2186/coventrys_multi_agency_safeguarding_hub_mash] for an assessment to consider support needs 

Community Short Breaks

Community Short Breaks provide group activities for children and young people with a disability to relax, have fun, make new friends and develop independence skills.

Activities last up to 2 hours during term time and school holidays. Our aim is to ensure that all children accessing the service have the support they need to engage in community based activities.

If your child or young person requires additional support, you may be able to request this from our Targeted Short Breaks Service [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/5]. This support can be identified through the Short Breaks Panel [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/7].

To see the latest Term-Time and School Holiday activity timetables, go to our What's On page [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/4].

Accessing Community Short Breaks

See our flowchart summarising how you access Community Short Breaks [/downloads/file/30598/flowchart_of_community_short_breaks_booking_process].

Community Short Breaks are available for children and young people aged between 5 and 17 years of age (inclusive) who:

• Live in Coventry
• Have a disability as defined by section 17 (11) of the Children Act 1989 [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/section/17].  

To register to access Community Short Breaks for the first time, you need to:

• Complete a Short Breaks Passport [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/341/short_break_activities_for_children_and_young_people_with_disabilities]
• Submit a copy of a Disability Living Allowance (DLA) letter or evidence of a disability, either by letter from a relevant professional or by confirmation from your child's school.

These documents can be emailed to CSCCDT@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:CSCCDT@coventry.gov.uk]. Please put the initials of the child in the subject line of the email followed by 'Community Short Breaks'.

Alternatively you can send these documents by post to:

Community Short Breaks
Children Disability Team
Coventry City Council
PO Box 7097
Coventry
CV6 9SL

Please note, we DO NOT accept hand-delivered post. If you try to submit by hand, it will not be accepted.

The Short Breaks Development Officer will contact you about your application and the current availability of individual sessions.

Booking a Short Break

Once you have been registered for Community Short Breaks and have spoken to the Short Breaks Development Officer, you will be able to book onto a session. 

See the What's On page [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/4] for a full listing of the activities available. Please note that spaces are limited, however you will be able to select activities in order of preference.

• Book a Community Short Breaks session during school holidays online [/bookashortbreak] or call us on 024 7697 5464. Please note that you can only have 1 booking per week and 1 on the waiting list during the school holidays.

The holiday activity schedule will be released on our What's On page [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/4], through email and by post. Bookings for School Holidays are only open for the dates outlined on the activity schedule.

Any booking requests received before these dates for the School Holiday sessions will be rejected and you will be asked to resubmit. Anything submitted after these dates will be added to a waiting list.

If you would like to arrange a visit before booking a session, this can be arranged by contacting CSCCDT@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:CSCCDT@coventry.gov.uk] or by calling 024 7678 7980.

Non-attendance term-time Short Breaks

Please note, if a child has not accessed a term-time activity for 3 weeks and the Development Officer has not been informed, you will receive notification that your child has been removed from the activity register to allow another child to take the place. This is due to demand for the service.

Community Short Breaks - What's on?

Short Breaks during school holidays

Please note that we are not able to support siblings during Community Short Breaks activities unless otherwise stated.

Latest list of school holiday activities [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/3656/short_breaks_-_whats_on]

Please note that the booking line and booking preference forms only open for a limited time before the beginning of a school holiday period. This is due to demand for the service.

For details on how to book school holiday activities please see the Community Short Breaks page [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/3]. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/156/special_educational_needs_and_disabilities/1812/short_breaks/2]

If your child or young person has never attended a Community Short Breaks activity, we will require a completed Short Breaks Passport [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/341/short_break_activities_for_children_and_young_people_with_disabilities] and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) letter or evidence of a special educational need and/or a disability, either by letter from a relevant professional or by confirmation from your child's school.

Term-time activities

Please note that we are not able to support siblings during Community Short Breaks activities unless otherwise stated.

Community Short Breaks is now city-wide and will provide activities from the following locations during term-time.

• Wednesday: Broad Park House, Logan Road, CV2 1AG (5 to 11 years) (4.30pm to 6pm)
• Wednesday: Broad Park House, Logan Road, CV2 1AG (12 to 17 years) (6.30pm to 8pm)
• Thursday: Families For All, 454 Foleshill Road, CV6 5LB (5 to 11 years) (4.30pm to 6pm)
• Thursday: Families For All, 454 Foleshill Road, CV6 5LB (12 to 17 years) (6.30pm to 8pm)
• Saturday: Woodside Family Hub, Upper Ride, CV3 3GL (5 to 11 years) (10am to 11.30am)
• Saturday: Woodside Family Hub, Upper Ride, CV3 3GL (12 to 17 years) (midday to 1.30pm)
• Sunday: Mosaic Family Hub, Jardine Crescent, CV4 9PL (5 to 11 years) (9:30am to 11am)
• Sunday: Mosaic Family Hub, Jardine Crescent, CV4 9PL (5 to 11 years) (11:30am to 1pm)

For details on how to book term-time activities please see the Community Short Breaks page [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/3].

If your child or young person has never attended a Community Short Breaks activity, we will require a completed Short Breaks Passport [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/341/short_break_activities_for_children_and_young_people_with_disabilities] and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) letter or evidence of a special educational need and/or a disability, either by letter from a relevant professional or by confirmation from your child's school.

Non-attendance term-time Short Breaks

Please note, if a child has not accessed a term-time activity for 3 weeks and the Development Officer has not been informed, you will receive notification that your child has been removed from the activity register to allow another child to take the place. This is due to demand to the service.

Targeted Short Breaks

Short Breaks give children and young people who have a special educational need and/or disability 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 a break from caring responsibilities, while the child or young person is engaging in the activity. 

Targeted short breaks are for children and young people who, based on an assessment of their needs, require additional support to access activities. Support is available through the provision of a support worker. In these circumstances, the relevant professional involved with the family (e.g. a social worker, early help worker or school representative) will complete an assessment to consider the child and family’s needs and what package of support would meet these needs.

Targeted Short Breaks packages are approved at the Short Breaks Panel [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/7]. The Panel meets monthly and is chaired by the Operational Lead for the Children's Disability Team.

What if my child does not have a professional involved with the family?

If a child or young person does not have a professional worker, the school can complete an assessment and request to attend the Short Breaks Panel. A parent can also refer their child or young person via the MASH [/info/31/children_and_families/2186/coventrys_multi_agency_safeguarding_hub_mash] for an assessment to consider support needs.

Specialist Short Breaks (overnight)

Specialist Short Breaks gives families a break from caring responsibilities while the child or young person is looked after in a residential setting.

There are three residential provisions for Overnight Short Breaks in Coventry:

• Broad Park House is a 4-bed facility, owned and run by Coventry City Council. It is for children and young people with learning disabilities and additional needs.
• The Birches [https://www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk/search/health-service/childrens-respite-service-99] is owned and run by the NHS, for children and young people with complex medical needs.
• Bradbury House [https://www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk/search/health-service/childrens-learning-disability-and-autism-respite-services-943] is run by the NHS, for children and young people with challenging behaviour/learning difficulties.

Broad Park House is the default for Specialist Short Breaks unless the need is greater than we can meet. In these cases, we will access the Birches or Bradbury House.

Accessing specialist Short Breaks

Specialist Short Breaks are for children and young people who require a high level of support as their needs cannot be met by Targeted or Community Short Breaks.

An assessment of need is required to access this service. This is through a Child and Family Assessment/Early Help Assessment, undertaken by a social worker.

All cases are presented at the Short Breaks Panel [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/7] by allocated Social Workers.

A parent/carer can also request Specialist Short Breaks via the MASH [/info/31/children_and_families/2186/coventrys_multi_agency_safeguarding_hub_mash]. The referral will be sent to the Children's Disability Team who will assess need. The Panel process still applies.

Short Breaks Panel

The Short Break Panel meets monthly and is chaired by the Operational Lead for the Children's Disability Team.

The Panel is specifically for children and young people who require consideration for Targeted [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/5] and Specialist Short Break [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/6]s [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/156/special_educational_needs_and_disabilities/1812/short_breaks/5]. The panel aims to ensure equity and transparency in the allocation of resources to children/young people and their families. Those in the greatest need will receive the highest allocation of resources. The Panel ensures that services are needs led and that the provision is routinely monitored and reviewed. The Panel is open to all Social Care, Education and Health professionals.

Following completion of a child and family assessment/early help assessment, a Professional Worker (such as a Social Worker, Early Help Worker or a School representative) presents their young person at the Short Breaks Panel, and the Panel members provide challenge and scrutiny and agree or decline the proposed short break package presented. Families will be advised of the outcome from their allocated professional following the short breaks panel. If the short breaks package is approved it will move to the next stage of the process where an agency will be identified or a direct payment will be set up to support the young person. 

 There is also a Finance Panel that sits monthly to review current packages. Where a package needs to be increased, the Professional Worker must attend the Short Breaks Panel again to present the reason and evidence why an increase is needed.

How do I book on to the panel?

To book a slot onto the Panel a professional worker needs to complete a new child and family assessment/early help assessment, to evidence the need for short breaks.  They will then need to complete a short breaks form on LCS/EHM and reassign it to the Operational Lead. This identifies the young person's needs, and provides a recommendation to the Panel as to what type of resource may be needed. The professional will be allocated a time to attend panel to present the child or young person.

Panel Members

The panel is made up of representatives from the following teams and organisations:

• Bradbury House
• Broad Park House
• Commissioning
• Development Officer for Community Short Breaks
• Education
• Finance
• Health
• Independent Living Team
• Operational Lead for the Children's Disability Team
• The Birches

Direct Payments for Short Breaks

Direct Payments allow parents/carers to arrange care and services themselves, instead of receiving them directly from the Local Authority.

A direct payment is the sum of money that Coventry City Council will pay directly to you, so you can pay for your child's assessed care and/or support, instead of the Council arranging it for you.  

The money that you are given is to be used for the following reasons only:  

• To pay an agency or PA for the support they provide (type of support will be agreed at short breaks panel) 
• To only pay for the hours of support agreed at short breaks panel.
• To pay for a DBS for the PA before the support starts, these will be required to be renewed every 3 years (a new DBS is required even if they have one with another employer) 
• To pay for employee liability and HMRC tax/NI costs (this can be supported by using Penderel's payroll) 

The Short Breaks Panel [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/special-educational-needs-disabilities/short-breaks/7] approves Direct Payments for families who seek to employ a Personal Assistant (PA), or use the Direct Payment to fund a suitable agency/provider who provide Short Breaks. The Panel meets monthly and is chaired by the Operational Lead for the Children's Disability Team

What if my child does not have a professional involved with the family?

If a child or young person does not have a professional worker, the school can complete an assessment and request to attend the Short Breaks Panel. A parent/carer can also refer their child or young person via the MASH [/info/31/children_and_families/2186/coventrys_multi_agency_safeguarding_hub_mash] for an assessment to consider support needs.

See our Direct Payments website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/75/money_and_legal_matters/647/direct_payments] to find out more information.

Changes to our Short Breaks offer

We are committed to continuing to develop Coventry's short breaks offer in partnership with children, young people, and their parents and carers.

Coventry City Council has an engagement platform, Let's Talk [https://letstalk.coventry.gov.uk/short-breaks-development]. We will use this to gather ongoing feedback from users of the Short Breaks service. We will do this through regular surveys, feedback opportunities and consultations.

You can also give us feedback at anytime by emailing us using the address at the bottom of the page.

Extension of the community short breaks service

Following feedback from parents, carers and young people the community short breaks provision was extended. From February 2020, more sessions were made available and the service began operating at different locations across Coventry.

 

Further information and useful contacts

• Coventry's SEND Local Offer [/localoffer] provides information about activities, services and support available to children and young people with a disability.
• The SEND Information, Advice and Support Service [https://www.covsendiass.co.uk/] (SENDIASS) provides impartial and accurate special educational needs and disability information, advice and support for parents/carers, children and young people up to 25 years of age.
• The Coventry Family Information Directory [https://cid.coventry.gov.uk/kb5/coventry/directory/home.page] also provides information on local childcare, activities and organisations for children and young people in Coventry.
• Your local Family Hub [/familyhubs] provides a place where children, young people and their families can go when in need of help and support. The people working in the family hub will work in partnership with you and your community.

If you are unsure about the level of short break that you or your child or young person can access, you can contact Coventry's Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/mash]

The MASH brings key professionals together to make sure that a child or young person gets access to the help that would benefit them the most. The MASH is also known as the 'front door' to social care. You can contact the MASH to request help for yourself or your child or young person in relation to a specific special education needs and disability issue.

Information for providers

Registering as a provider

CSW-JETS stands for Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Joint E-Tendering System. This platform enables us to advertise our opportunities to suppliers.

• Access CSW Jets [https://www.csw-jets.co.uk]
• Secure access CSW Jets [https://in-tendhost.co.uk/csw-jets/]

A handy step-by-step video guide has been produced, detailing how to register an account on CSW JETS

Video guides  are available for managing and accessing an account and locating tender correspondence.

Access the printable use guides [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/6535/csw-jets_user_guides].

If you already have an account and you have a query relating to using the E-Tendering portal including accessing or uploading documents, please send your enquiry to csw-jets@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:csw-jets@coventry.gov.uk] for further assistance.

For all enquiries relating to specific opportunities, tenderers must use the correspondence tab within the E-Tendering portal.

Registration requirements

Registration depends on type of service and location​.

Ofsted [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted] registration:​

• Overnight short breaks – residential and family based. â€‹
• Childcare​
• Residential camps​
• Some group activities

CQC registration [https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation/providers/registration/register-provider#:~:text=You%20need%20to%20register%20with,%2Dquality%20person%2Dcentred%20care.]​

• For any personal care regulated activity​

Local Authority due diligence â€‹

• Statement of Purpose​
• Safeguarding Policies â€‹
• Training matrix â€‹
• Any other relevant policies​
• Insurance requirements​

Events

Upcoming events for providers.

Comments, compliments and complaints

Compliments and comments

We work hard to provide effective, efficient and good quality services to all our customers, and the best way of doing this is by listening to you when we get things right – or wrong.

If you would like to provide feedback or send a compliment about a staff member please complete the form [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/service/Speak_Up___comments__compliments_and_complaints].

Complaints

Who can make a complaint? 

• A person who receives or had received a service provided by Children's Services 

• A person who is affected, or likely to be affected, by our actions, omissions or decisions 

• A person acting on behalf of a person described above who: is unable to make the complaint themselves because of lack of physical or mental capacity 

• Has asked that person to act on their behalf (written and signed consent is required for this) 

• You can also call Barnardo’s on 024 7637 2596 who will act as your advocate and help you to make your complaint 

If you are not happy with the response received, you can contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is an independent person who investigates many types of complaints about local councils, The Ombudsman will usually only consider a complaint after we have considered it under our complaints procedure. 

 

If you've got a problem with Children's Services or if you're unhappy about something that is happening to you, this can usually be sorted out by speaking to someone you trust like your social worker, keyworker or foster carer. But if they can't put things right for you, then you can make a complaint.

For young people

If you are a young person and would like to make a social care complaint [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/37/childrens_social_care/625/young_peoples_guide_to_making_a_social_care_complaint].

For everyone else

For others to make comments, compliments or complaints [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/5/contact_the_council/545/comments_compliments_and_complaints/2].