Disabled children are particularly vulnerable to poor outcomes. As part of a wider programme set out in Aiming High for Disabled Children, the government has announced a major national initiative, to transform short break services for disabled children.

A cross-party panel of 22 MPs heard the experiences of parents as part of a review of services for disabled children. They found that the top priority for parents was to be able to have regular and reliable short breaks from their caring responsibilities.

The term short break services (historically the services were also known as respite care) have been changing in many areas particularly where services have been developed in partnership with parents. There is still a significant shortfall in service availability, particularly for those young people with more complex needs. Short breaks for disabled children will be transformed over the next three years and will offer anything from a service for a few hours to longer periods, provideded in a range of settings and enable young people to access activities and places with friends and families in the wider community.

There is a strong expectation that local authorities will work with local Primary Care Trusts to rapidly expand and develop shorts breaks for disabled children to meet the Government's Full Service Offer (FSO). This must be achieved by April 2010 in 21 pathfinder authorities, and by April 2011 everywhere else.

Funding in 2009-11 for non-pathfinder authorities will be conditional on the local authority and PCT undertaking sufficient preparatory work, measured against criteria to be established by the Department in Spring 2008.

Disabled children are a complex and diverse group and the challenge will be to to rapidly expand provision, in partnership with parents, young people and carers to develop a wide range of short breaks to support disabled children and families.

Local authorities will be expected to work constructively with both voluntary sector and independent short break service providers to secure and commission a diverse market for the provision of short breaks.

We offer a range of consultancy services including supporting and advising providers entering the short break services market. Local authorities are currently major providers of short break services and may want to use this opportunity to review exisiting provision whilst expanding local services. The key challenge will be to apply a test of citizenship to all short break provision. There are high expectations that short breaks will be not only available, but will be age approapriate and will enable disabled young people to have fun with their friends.

We are independent social work consultants who bring practical and up to date knowledge designed to help managers, policy makers and practitioners. We have a particular expertise in disabled children's services and have undertaken wide ranging commissions. We have also worked with central government departments.

The principal partners in the Maddocks Consultancy are Peter Maddocks MA CQSW and Jane Shepherd BA (hons) CQSW. Both are qualified independent social workers registered with The General Social Care Council.

We welcome inquiries and can provide no obligation meetings and project proposals on request. Please do telephone 0114 235 2902 or info@themaddocksconsultancy.org

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