Short Breaks Special (for parents) 4th July 2017 Dear All An extra newsletter, all about Short Breaks, from our Short Breaks leads in Kingston (Sam) and Richmond (Rachel)…
What is a Short Break? Before we begin, here is the legal definition of a Short Break for families of children & young people with special educational needs and/or disability. It’s a bit wordy and legalese, but here goes: “The Short Breaks Regulations provide further detail on how local authorities must perform their duty in the Children Act 1989 (“the 1989 Act”) to provide, as part of the range of services they provide for families, breaks from caring for carers of disabled children to support them to continue to care for their children at home and to allow them to do so more effectively. In summary, the Short Breaks Regulations require local authorities to do three things: 1. 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; 2. to provide a range of breaks, as appropriate, during the day, night, at weekends and during the school holidays; and 3. to provide parents with a short breaks services statement detailing the range of available breaks and any eligibility criteria attached to them” Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/short-breaks-for-carers-of-disabledchildren
The 2017 Short Breaks Survey Thank you to all the families who completed our Short Breaks survey and/or attended our Short Breaks meetings this year, and congratulations to the lucky winner of our prize draw who chose a £50 Amazon voucher! We have collected a huge amount of data which we have summarised and given to AFC. We will ensure that we use this data to feed into the commissioning of Short Breaks services for 2018-2021.
Our main findings: •
There are quite a few short breaks out there, but we don’t know about them! o There is a lack of information about Short Breaks o There is no well-known, or well-regarded and reliable single source of info
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Complicated administrative processes are a barrier to accessing short breaks for many families
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Lack of qualified support workers is a major concern for families
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Children with SEND and their families in our boroughs still experience significant social isolation
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Support for children to make and maintain friendships and develop appropriate social skills is something which is very important - but hard to find
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Parents would, on the whole, prefer easy-to-access activities rather than cash
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Most popular activities included o Swimming o Horse riding o Yoga o Cycling o Trampolining o Friendship groups o Outings of all kinds
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Currently there are a lack of opportunities for short breaks for particular groups e.g. under 8yr olds, those with severe disabilities / medical needs, physically but not learning-disabled children, older teenagers approaching adulthood…
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Short breaks must be LOCAL to where families live (no more than 30mins travel time)
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School holidays are when the need for short breaks is felt most acutely by families
And, so…? Now, whilst you may think that all of this is common sense, the fact that we have data is significant and means that parents views must be taken into account by the commissioning bodies. (Honestly, it was worth the time taken!) Here is a message from Caroline Jager, the Short Breaks Manager at Achieving for Children in response to the summary we presented: “Please thank all the parents/carers who were involved in the consultation. The information given is incredibly valuable and will make a difference to what short breaks will be commissioned.”
Aiming High Funding Achieving for Children (AfC) asked SEND Family Voices for our opinion on the eligibility criteria for the Aiming High Funding (the money that ran out last year). Currently, there are few restrictions on who can apply for the funding. However, last year, as the funding became more widely known, the money ran out prematurely. The amount of money available per year will not increase and therefore it is likely that some prioritisation of need will have to occur in the future. We advised that AfC should do some focused work in the area; in order to ensure that those with the greatest need should be prioritised when the criteria are reviewed. We stated that evaluating ‘the greatest need’ is complex, and should take into account a number of factors, in particular: severity of disability (and impact on child and family’s quality of life), other opportunities available (both specialist and mainstream) as well as family and financial circumstances. We suggested that an overall direction should be set for 2018, and any changes that are made for the remainder of this year should be in line with that direction. Please do drop us an email entitled “Short Breaks Eligibility” if you have any thoughts on the matter.
For now, the Aiming High Funding remains at £300 maximum per child per year. For more information contact Nasima Sultana: T: 020 8547 5562 E: nasima.sultana@achievingforchildren.org.uk,
Additional support… Also. don’t forget that if you’d like your child to access an activity for which they will need an additional support worker, funding for this can be applied for, by the activity provider. Please see the local off for more information: https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/pages/home/leisure-activities-and-short-breaks/shortbreaks/funding-for-short-breaks-aiming-high-additional-support-funding or contact David Arrow: T: 020 8547 6564 E: david.arrow@achievingforchildren.org.uk
A list of Short Breaks providers As a part of analysing the data from the short breaks survey, we have compiled a list of short breaks that people in Richmond and Kingston boroughs use. SEND Family Voices hopes to find the resource to do more with this (for this term, we didn’t have time to research and categorise further, however we’d like to do this in the future, if you might want to volunteer please do get in touch!). In the meantime, please see the list as a starting point for ideas! Just google the names below, or look to the Local Offer: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
ABEL karate in East Molesey – not commissioned officially; set up by a keen karate teacher. Karate also available at Crossroads in Ham. Action Attainment – social and communication skills, ball skills , Brentford football club. Also run family football sessions - invaluable to have family sessions for brothers, dads and sons to take part. Activity Station, Barnes (also do cinema screenings once a month) Albany Park for Duke of Edinburgh Our Barn, Redlees Park Challengers Crofters Crossroads – Saturday youth club in Ham – can self-refer Enhanceable: Flyers at Geneva Road; Kites Express CIC: various clubs – art therapy club been great for my SEND child and a real boost for me – have met other parents and get 45 minutes to myself too Fit for Sport: holiday club at Orleans Park run as a business (NB might not suit all – turnover is high and not always clear if you have to prebook or not) Football at St Joseph’s (ASD-specific) GEM club at YMCA Hampton Genesis gymnastics in Chessington Great Waves swimming – private swimming lessons, including SEND Guildford Spectrum - SEND swimming session once a month Inspire at St Phillips – disability sports group http://www.inspire-sport.co.uk Interact, Sheen Kids got Talent have a separate group for SEND kids in West Molesley Knots Arts in Richmond: good for social communication issues. Funded by Lottery. Me, Too and Co – various – including, ‘a godsend for under 5s – a very rare SEND example for this age group’
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MENCAP clubs and holiday clubs Nordoff Robbins music therapy in Croydon Ottaker Kraus music therapy Phab Club (but isn’t 1:1?) Phyz Police cadets Redlees (1 o’clock club) and Reflections, Hounslow Riding for the Disabled – various mentioned e.g. Epsom, Park Lane Stables. There are also non-RDA stable e.g. in Byfleet RISE, Teddington: trampolining, football, fusion dance. Nurturing, upbeat atmosphere, mixed disability Twickenham Rowing Club Some Scout groups are very inclusive
Summer Opportunities Please see the information below provided by Lena Vantol at KIDS for a list of lots of holiday activities for children and young people with SEND over the summer holidays. NB: These are not in any particular order and contact details are given for most. RISE Summer Spectacular – 22nd July, Teddington School taster session of all the activities RISE runs incl football, yoga, dance, tennis, dragon boating https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/sports/disability_sports_and_activites/rise_activities_for _children Action-attainment for children and young people with social communication needs https://www.action-attainment.com/summer-sport-sign-up-for2017/?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Knots Arts summer camps for young people with social communication difficulties www.knotsarts.com Summer Fun in Richmond Park 25th, 26th July, 1st, 2nd August www.thehollylodgecentre.org.uk GEM holiday project for 8-18year olds with moderate learning difficulties, funded by local authority, run by the YMCA Sigh for Surrey – gliding for visually impaired teenagers, 27 th July. Contact Michelle mwinstone@sightforsurrey.org.uk or Carol cperryer@sightforsurrey.org.uk Summer Festival 28th July 10-2.30. Westway Sports and Fitness Centre, Kensington. 22 different sports. TAG Youth Club Fridays 10-15yr olds (fortnightly) and 15-25 yr olds (weekly) including school holidays https://www.tagyouthclub.org/info?ct=t(Spring%2BNewsletter%2B2016) Visual Impairment Multi-sports Festival, 29 July 11-3, Sutton Sports Village Contact Alex Pepper 07970 725 620 Activity Station - sensory screenings (31 July, 14 August) and summer sports and games (23 August), Barnes www.activitystation.org.uk
Kids - assisted theatre performances in August http://www.kidsweek.co.uk/more/access/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=em ail&utm_campaign=17_06_13+ACCESS+Newsletter+%281%29&spMailingID=29364389&spUserI D=NDc0NzEwNDY5MDY0S0&spJobID=1061608055&spReportId=MTA2MTYwODA1NQS2&ct=t% 28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Richmond Mencap Summer holiday club 8-25th August http://richmondmencap.org.uk/whatwedo/whatwedo/holiday-fun/summer-fun/ Disability friendly Triatholon, Eton Dorney http://superheroseries.co.uk/?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 London Wildlife Trust film making and summer camping and bush craft events for young people with disabilities, Crane Park Island, Twickenham Contact David Lemon, dlemon@wildlondon.org.uk, 07851 862 305 Albany Outdoors watersports Aiming High Club for 12-18year olds Tuesdays 5.30 – 7.30 albanypark@achievingforchildren.org.uk Role Models – Summer SEN Camps and resilience courses for 8-12 yr olds http://www.rolemodels.me/featuredevent/sen-camps/?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Orleans House arts activities: 31st August – 3rd Sept https://www2.richmond.gov.uk/Richmondbookings/default.aspx?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+ 2016%29 Family Fun Day @ Moor Lane Centre, Chessington Bouncy castle, ponies, climbing wall etc. Contact David Arrow on 020 8547 6564 or david.arrow@achievingforchildren.org.uk to book a place. Yorda Adventures for children with severe learning difficulties living in the borough of Kingston http://www.yordaadventures.co.uk/?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Thames Young Mariners – outdoor activities and watersports for young people aged 6-16 https://www.surreyoutdoorlearning.uk/the-adventure-zone/holiday-activities/thames-youngmariners/summer-holiday-activity-days?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Fulham FC Foundations - Football activities. Please express interest to Jamie Brown on jbrown@fulhamfc.com, or telephone: 07786 277632 Ribbons, Kites and Flyers Clubs for children with learning disabilities, including high functioning autism. Sessions continue through the summer holidays. (NB currently a waiting list) http://www.enhanceable.org/services/after-school/?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Chill Out Zone – Inclusive play scheme for children 8-14yrs http://www.cylexuk.co.uk/reviews/viewcompanywebsite.aspx?firmaName=the+chill+out+zone&companyId= 17902853&ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Challengers - Inclusive play / activity schemes for children aged 4-12, 13-18 and 18-25yr olds www.disability-challengers.org Twickenham Barracudas Kids Camp - Mainstream but has previously accepted children with additional needs
https://www.barracudas.co.uk/camps/view/twickenham?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%2 9 Thames Valley Adventure Playground – book in advance http://www.tvap.co.uk/?page=contact&ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Kingston Wildcats Pool Club 18yrs+ every Weds evening Contact: Paul 07922 328033 Marble Hill Inclusive Play project http://marblehillplaycentres.com/inclusive-play-project/?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Polka Theatre Wimbledon, accessible and relaxed performances https://polkatheatre.com/home/your-visit/access/?ct=t%28Spring+Newsletter+2016%29 Me Too & Co Fun day 28 August, Redlees Park, Isleworth For more information, please contact: info@metooandco.org.uk As ever, if you have any queries at all, please ask and we'll always do our best to find an answer. With best wishes, Caroline North (for Kingston) and Romany (for Richmond) Phone: 07469 746 145 www.sendfamilyvoices.org