Short breaks

Short breaks

Wiltshire Short Breaks Scheme 2024 – 2025

UPDATE -
Wiltshire’s 2024-25 Short Breaks Scheme has CLOSED!
Applications for the Wiltshire Short Breaks Scheme for April 2024-March 2025 have now closed. From Thursday 31st October 2024, no applications or monitoring forms, under any circumstance, will be accepted.
It is anticipated that as in previous years, the 2025-26 Short Breaks Scheme will open for applications in January 2025. As always, the WPCC will announce when the new Short Breaks Scheme is open for applications.



Wiltshire Short Breaks Scheme Monitoring Form - Deadline Saturday 31st August 2024

If you successfully applied for the Short Breaks Payment or COMBO option for your child or young person this year, you can now complete your Monitoring Form.

Everyone who has received either the Payment or the COMBO option of the Wiltshire Short Breaks Scheme, should have received an email with a link to this year’s electronic Monitoring Form. If you can’t see the email in your Inbox, please check your Spam and Junk folder. The deadline for completion and submission is Saturday 31st August 2024.

If you need help to complete your Monitoring Form, please contact the WPCC and we will do all we can to support you.

Please Note:-
• Your second Short Breaks payment will not be released until your Monitoring Form has been completed and returned to Wiltshire Council
• If you want to receive your second payment in September, your Monitoring Form must be completed and returned by Saturday 31st August 2024. If you need help with your form, please contact the WPCC in plenty of time
• Any Monitoring Forms completed and returned after Saturday 31st August 2024 and before Thursday 31st October 2024 will mean that the second payment is unlikely to be paid until October or November
• The Short Breaks Scheme closes completely for the year on Thursday 31st October 2024 and no further payments will be made after this date under any circumstances

You can contact the WPCC by telephone: 01225 764647 or by email: reception@wiltspcc.co.uk.



UPDATE - Wiltshire Short Breaks Scheme is Now Closed
The Short Breaks Scheme 2024-2025 is now closed, applications will only be accepted on exceptional circumstances and the decision made on a case by case basis.
If you need any help or support regarding the Short Breaks Scheme please contact the office on 01225 764647 or email reception@wiltspcc.co.uk


Wiltshire’s 2024-2025 Short Breaks Scheme is Open for Applications!

Applications for the Scheme must be received by Sunday 17th March 2024. As per last year, applications for the Scheme need to be made via the Wiltshire Council online form: [Application Form]

To be eligible for the scheme, your child or young person must: -

• Be resident in the areas of the county covered by Wiltshire Council (i.e. Swindon is excluded)

• Aged 6 years old (as of 31st August 2024) to 18 years old (as of 31st March 2024). N.B. young people who turn 19 between 1st April and 31st August are still eligible to apply but will receive a reduced entitlement

• And meet the eligibility criteria described in the Short Breaks Scheme leaflet

You can use this simple [online Eligibility Tool] to check if your child or young person is eligible for the 2023-24 Short Breaks Scheme.

The Short Breaks Scheme leaflet gives detailed information about the scheme, including: -
• Who can access the scheme – details about eligibility
• How to apply – including a link to the [online application form]
• Scheme options – these are a range of options that enable children and young people, together with their parent carers, to think creatively about how they want to spend their leisure time and choose what works best for them

You can see the Short Breaks Scheme leaflet HERE

About the scheme

Designed in consultation with parents and carers, the Short Breaks Scheme aims to meet the individual needs and interests of children and young people who require additional support to either access or engage in leisure activities and social opportunities (also referred to as ‘short breaks’).

The Short Breaks Scheme offers families choice through a menu of options, which means that children and young people, together with their parents or carers, can think creatively about how they want to spend their leisure time and choose what works best for them.

Whilst Wiltshire Council subsidises all options available through the Short Breaks Scheme, families are expected to contribute towards the overall costs of providing short breaks for their children. Families choosing the Activity Club or COMBO option are required to contribute £10 per 3hr session and £18 per 6hr session towards this heavily subsidised service.

Families who choose the payment or COMBO option through the Short Breaks Scheme are responsible for making sure the money is used to best meet the leisure activity and social opportunity interests of their child for the year. By choosing the payment or COMBO option, you could be selected at random to take part in an interview to explain how the funding was used responsibly to benefit your child and meet their leisure interests.

As in previous years, the Short Breaks Scheme will be reviewed to make sure it continues to meet the needs of children and families in Wiltshire.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE WILTSHIRE SHORT BREAKS SCHEME 2024 - 2025 MUST BE RECEIVED VIA THE ONLINE FORM BY SUNDAY 17TH MARCH 2024!

Who can access the scheme

1. aged 6yrs (as of 31st August 2024) to 18yrs (as of 31st March 2024), and
2. resident in areas of the county covered by Wiltshire Council (i.e. this excludes Swindon), and
3. meet the eligibility criteria on pages 2 and 3 of the Short Breaks Scheme Leaflet

Please refer to the Short Breaks scheme leaflet for further information, terms and conditions.

You can also use the NEW online eligibility checking tool to check your child’s eligibility for the Short Breaks Scheme [HERE]

Applications must be received via the online form by Sunday 17th MARCH 2024 to qualify for the Short Breaks Scheme.

If you are resident in Swindon, please [click here] for information about short breaks in your area.

What the options are

Depending on the age of your child and if they meet the eligibility criteria, the following options are available:

• Short breaks scheme payment up to £260 (6-18yrs)
  
• Up to 78 hours of organised Barnardo's activity clubs on Saturdays and during school holidays (6-18yrs).
  
• The ‘combo’ – up to 39hrs of organised Barnardo's activity clubs, plus a short breaks scheme payment of up to £130 (6-18yrs)

Children/ young people with a residential placement: Children and young people in 52 week placements have leisure and social opportunities provided as part of their funded placement for the whole of the year, so they are not eligible for the Short Breaks Scheme. Children and young people in residential placements of 38 weeks or more can apply and will be entitled to a reduced. Please refer to the Short Breaks scheme leaflet for further information, terms and conditions.

For general short breaks enquiries, contact the WPCC on 01225 764647.

How to apply

Once you have read through the Short Break Scheme leaflet, are satisfied that your child meets the criteria for the Short Breaks Scheme and you know which option you want to choose, you will need to submit your application with Wiltshire Council. Please have your bank details to hand as you will need them when submitting your online application. If you have an email address and access to the internet, please click [here] to apply directly online.

If you do not have an email account or access to the internet, call the Wiltshire Parent Carer Council who will make an application on your behalf. Telephone: 01225 764647.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY SUNDAY 17TH MARCH 2024

Please note that eligible families need to re-apply each year for the Short Breaks Scheme. Wiltshire Council reserves the right to close the scheme if the available budget is exhausted. Eligible families are, therefore, encouraged to apply promptly.

You can also use WPCC's online eligibility checking tool to check your child’s eligibility for the Short Breaks Scheme [HERE]

Remember your application MUST be received by Sunday 17th March 2023.

Wiltshire Short Breaks Activity Clubs for Children and Young People with SEND

Barnardo’s is responsible for running and delivering Short Breaks Activity Clubs for Children and Young People aged 0 to 18 who choose either the Club option or COMBO option within Wiltshire’s Short Breaks Scheme.

To find out more about the clubs, the sorts of things children and young people might do, where they take place and more, please see the following information ([WSB info sheet]).

Information about other short break opportunities

If your child is not eligible for the short breaks scheme, there is plenty more on offer. As well as being able to access opportunities available to ALL children and young people in Wiltshire (referred to as ‘universal’ services), such as play areas, swimming pools, leisure centres and youth clubs, Wiltshire Council also funds initiatives specifically designed to meet the needs of children and young people (with special educational needs/ disabilities) who require some support to enable them to access leisure activities.

These are referred to as ‘targeted’ services and include a variety of sports activities, youth clubs, music and drumming sessions. With no assessment or criteria to meet to access these clubs (other than having a disability or special educational need), all you need to do is book a place.

Further information can be found in WPCC's signposting section or go to the online calendar.

Small Grants Scheme

Wiltshire Council wishes to continue to support the expansion of the provision of clubs and activities across the county for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to support them to participate in activities that they are interested in alongside their friends and peers.

The Small Grants Scheme is for new provision or expansion of an existing scheme and not to support the continuation of existing clubs and activities. Individuals and organisations have been invited to apply for small grants of up to £10,000 to increase the number of opportunities available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities in the Wiltshire area, in the hope that it will support an increase in opportunities for children and young people, and promote greater inclusion in activities and groups, allowing them to participate alongside their friends and peers.

The WPCC published details of the Small Grants Scheme in previous newsletters and on its website.

If my Child or Young Person doesn't Meet the Eligibility Criteria what Should I do?

If your child is not eligible for the Short Breaks Scheme and would have difficulty accessing universal or targeted services without additional support, you may wish to consider making an appeal. For more information on appeals please contact Wiltshire Parent Carer Council on 01225 764647 or email: admin@wiltspcc.co.uk An appeal can be made by a parent, carer or professional who works with the child.

All appeals are carefully considered by the Short Breaks Appeals Panel, which is made up of members of Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Parent Carer Council. The panel meets monthly.

Upon receipt of an appeal, if further information or clarification is required before a decision can be reached, you will be contacted. As soon as the panel has reached a decision, you will be informed about the outcome.

Please click here to access the Appeals Form.

Changes to the Wiltshire Short Breaks Scheme

Wiltshire Council has provided the following statement about the Short Breaks Scheme this year:

Wiltshire Council continues to be fully committed to providing the short breaks service in the county, and to helping to support children and young people with SEND, and their families/carers.
Wiltshire Council, like all councils, is facing significant financial pressures. We have seen a further large increase in the number of eligible children and young people who qualify for support under the Short Breaks Scheme. This means that, with regret, payment amounts this year see a reduction from last year. This reduction has been necessary to ensure that as a council, we are able to support eligible children, young people and families in Wiltshire, and that the funding supports as many children and young people as possible.
To support this, it has been decided that the first payments will be up to £200 for the Scheme payment option and up to £100 for the COMBO. The second payment will be up to £60 for the scheme payment or up to £30 for the COMBO option. This will mean a total of up to £260 for Scheme Payment option and up to £130 for the COMBO option.
This year, despite challenging financial pressures, we are pleased to be delivering a greater offer as part of our activity and clubs provision. Furthermore, as part of a new two-year agreement, we will be working to minimise any impact on the payment amount for 2025-26.
We are also continuing to support the Small Grant Scheme to provide additional inclusive opportunities in the community for the children and young people with SEND in Wiltshire, and we will continue to look for ways to make sure that we support all those with SEND across the county.
Finally, over the next two years, Wiltshire Council is committed to working with parents and carers on a long-term plan for Short Breaks, ensuring that it continues to meet growing demand for services while striving to support parents and carers, children and young people in receiving the best provision possible. Details on how to get involved will be published in the summer of 2024.

The WPCC is mindful of the impact on families as a result of the significant reduction in the payment amount this year and we have expressed our concerns to the LA. As a result of conversations and in response to parent carer feedback, you will see from the Wiltshire Council statement above there has been investment in increased activity and club provision, which we hope will mean that families do not experience the same challenges when trying to book activity club sessions that many experienced last year. Wiltshire Council is also continuing to invest in the Small Grants Scheme to help support communities to develop more inclusive opportunities for children and young people with SEND, (The WPCC published details of the Small Grants Scheme in previous newsletters and on its website). Additionally, in an effort to introduce more stability to the scheme, as part of a two-year agreement, the LA is working on measures to minimise the impact on the payment amount for 2025 to 2026.
The WPCC is engaging in ongoing conversations with the LA about the Short Breaks Scheme and we would welcome your support. To help bolster our representation, we would be grateful for brief details of the importance of the scheme to your child or young person and your family, and the impacts this had on both them and your family.

To share your support and help us in our representation, please click [HERE] to complete our questionnaire.