There is a duty on local authorities to provide a range of short break services for disabled children, young people and their families.
Short breaks provide disabled children and young people with fun, enjoyment and a chance to be with friends or build on those important life skills while their parents and carers can receive support to restore positive family function. This can look different for each family: they may be supported by our Family Workers who can support implementing strategies, routines and other forms of interventions. Or it could look like short breaks/respite which comes in many different forms, ranging from an overnight stay in a residential centre or a carer’s home to attending a youth club, leisure centre or getting involved in a sports activity individually or as a family.
As part of this duty, Councils are required to produce a short breaks statement so that families know which short breaks are available to them in the local area and how to access them.
The Children and Young People Disability Service (CYPDS) is part of Achieving for Children and is the name of the specialist team in Windsor and Maidenhead that works with young people with special educational needs and disabilities aged 0 to 25. The team consists of children and adult transition social workers and family workers.
We can support a range of short break services for children and young people with disabilities, between the ages 0 and 18 years, who live in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead where deemed necessary after our assessments are completed.
An adult aged 18 to 25 years who has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), will be open to the Children and Young People Disability Service and can request an adult needs assessment under the Care Act. If the young person already has a care package in place, an adult transition social worker will complete a review of their package and recommend whether this is still adequate for the young person.