Staffordshire Short Breaks Sufficiency Statement

This statement is for families and professionals who support and care for children and young people aged 0-18 years with special educational needs and/or disabilities living in Staffordshire. It provides information about the available Short Break services.

The Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children regulations, effective from 1 April 2011, mandate each local authority to offer a variety of short breaks for disabled children and young people (under 18 years old) as well as their parents and carers.

As part of this duty, each Local Authority must produce a short breaks statement that includes the following information:

• The range of short breaks available
• How to access the short breaks
• How our short breaks have been designed to meet local needs

Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and Disability

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires each Local Authority to produce and publish a Local Offer. This offer consolidates information about the provisions available across education, health, and social care for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities in the area.

We developed the Staffordshire Local Offer in collaboration with parents, carers, children, young people with special educational needs and disabilities, and professionals to ensure it meets your needs. All information and advice about services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are centralised, making it quick and easy to find.

Children and Families Act 2014

The Children and Families Act 2014 aims to integrate Education, Health, and Social Care to support children and young people in achieving positive outcomes.

Key objectives include:

• Ensuring the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is comprehensive and cohesive
• Providing a clear and transparent Local Offer detailing the services, provisions, and support available within the local area
• Ensuring the voices of children, young people, parents and carers are central to our work, including in the shaping of local services.

Welcome to our short breaks statement

In Staffordshire, we collaborate with children, young people, and their families to achieve the best possible outcomes in all areas of their lives. We believe that with the ‘right support at the right time,’ this is achievable. By working together, children and young people with disabilities can and will reach their full potential.

This Short Breaks Statement outlines our statutory duties regarding the provision of short breaks in Staffordshire.

Legislation

Short Breaks Regulations

The Short Breaks regulations guide Staffordshire Council’s Short Breaks Service offer. These regulations require all local authorities to produce a statement explaining the available Short Breaks services for children with disabilities and their families, and how to access them. The council must publish this statement online and review it regularly to ensure the information is up-to-date. You can view the Short Breaks Regulations 2011 on the Legislation website. 

The Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations, effective from 1 April 2011, legally mandate each Local Authority to provide a range of short breaks for disabled children and young people (under 18 years old) and their parents and carers.

The Legal Framework used in this statement includes Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011; Children Act 1989 (Section 17 (1)); Children and Young Persons Act 2008; Children and Families Act 2014; Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; Equality Act 2010; NHS Act 2006 (Amended 2012); Care Act 2014;

In summary, local authorities must provide Short Breaks services that are:

• Flexible, reliable, accessible, and regular to meet changing family needs
• Available to all parents/carers in Staffordshire with a child who has SEND
• Build on universal services
• Promoting greater levels of confidence and competence for transitioning into adult life
• Including day-time care, overnight care, and respite
• Promoting participation in activities
• Culturally and age-appropriate, supporting a child's development
• Fun and engaging, allowing children to spend time with peers, make new friends, and have new experiences
• Safe and delivered by trusted providers who are well-trained and understand a child's needs.

They should also enable:

• Parents/carers to have clear information on their child's entitlements
• Parents/carers to choose from a range of services and activities that best suit their children
• Parents/carers to access both emotional and practical support from other parents/carers and staff
• Siblings to know their sibling is enjoying activities and to join in some activities (depending on the activity and provider)
• Siblings to spend time with their parents/carers away from caring responsibilities

What do we mean by disability?

Staffordshire County Council uses the legal definition of disability as defined in the equality act 2010.

This includes a physical and/or mental impairment that has a “substantial” and “long-term” negative effect on your ability to do normal activities.

This definition encompasses children with moderate to severe disabilities, as well as those with complex health needs or palliative or life-limiting conditions. Having a disability does not automatically mean that you or your child need to access social care support; you may instead be directed to access ‘universal services’. This statement aims to show you what support may be best for you based on your child’s needs

Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010 - Gov.uk website

What do 'Substantial' and 'long term' mean?

• "Substantial" is more than minor or trivial, e.g. it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed.
• "Long term" means 12 months or more, e.g. a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection.

There are special rules for recurring and or fluctuating conditions, such as arthritis.

What is not counted as a disability?

There is a guidance on conditions that are not covered by the disability definition in the Equality Act 2010. A copy of the Equality Act 2010 and accompanying explanatory notes can be found on Gov.uk website.

Children and Families Act 2014

The Government introduced the Children and Families Act in 2014, which aims to integrate education, health, and social care to support children and young people with SEND in achieving positive outcomes. One of the key changes includes the publication of a clear and transparent Local Offer detailing up-to-date services and support mechanisms. Many parents and carers have expressed a preference for using the term “SEND” within our short breaks statement, rather than “additional needs” or “disability,” in line with our response to implementing this act.

For children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities, the Act aims to:

• Ensure education, health and social care services work together
• Inform children, young people, and their parents/carers about their disability or special educational needs
• Ensure families know what help is available when a child or young person has special educational needs or a disability
• Facilitate collaboration among different organisations to support children and young people with special educational needs
• Give children, young people, and their parents/carers more say about the help they receive
• Establish a comprehensive assessment to determine the special help a child or young person needs for their education, health, and social care needs simultaneously.
• Provide a single plan for meeting a child or young person's education, health and social care needs, which can extend from birth to age 25 if councils agree that more time is needed to prepare for adulthood.
• Ensure children, young people and their parents/carers can choose some of the help they need
• Offer ways to resolve disputes if a child, young person, or their parent/carer needs to appeal about the help they receive

SENDIASS - Staffordshire Family Partnership

Staffordshire SENDIASS is jointly commissioned by Staffordshire County Council and the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board. It operates independently as a confidential, impartial, and free service for parents and carers of children and young people (0-25) with special  educational needs and disabilities, as well as for the children and young people  themselves. SENDIASS provides information, advice, and support  covering education, health, and social care issues. You can contact them through the service helpline or by email.

Telephone Helpline: 01785 356921

(Monday to Thursday 9am - 5pm, Fridays 9am - 4:30pm)

E-Mail: sfps@staffordshire.gov.uk

Website: SENDIASS website

The Local Picture

Staffordshire’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) provides the following insights:

• Children between 0-15 years constitute the smallest age group (151,613) within the total Staffordshire population (886,284).
• The proportion of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) has been increasing both nationally and in Staffordshire, with the rate of increase being faster in Staffordshire. Despite this, the percentage of pupils with SEN in Staffordshire (16.3%) remains lower than the national average (17.3%) for 2022/23.

Research by the Department for Education suggests that 7-10% can be used to estimate the number of children with disabilities within the child population and that 1.2% will have complex or significant needs.

Education Health and Care Plans

Within the last 12 months, there have been 2305 initial requests for Education, Health, and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNA), with 55% proceeding to assessment.

The primary need of children and young people in Staffordshire with an Education, Health and Care Plan (ECHP) is:

What is a short break?

Short breaks are activities designed for children and young people with SEND, allowing them to have fun, spend time with friends, and build confidence and skills in a safe environment. These activities typically take place outside the child’s home, often in locations such as leisure centres, community spaces, provider buildings, parks, and recreational areas. Some short breaks are provided in specialist resource centres or the homes of approved carers, such as disability fostering. The specific setting depends on the needs of the child or young person with SEND and their family, and access to this type of short break is granted following a full assessment of need.

Short break activities usually occur outside school hours, meaning they can take place in the evenings, on weekends, or during school holidays. The duration of these activities can vary, such as 2-hour sessions as part of the Aiming High activities. 

Short breaks offer can include: 

• Time for the child or young person to attend an activity without their family
• Activities for siblings and families to attend together
• Different durations to suit various needs

Who are short breaks for?

Our short breaks programme is accessible for children and young people who: 

• Have a disability as defined by section 6 of the Equality Act 2010
• Have SEND and may require support to participate in activities, with or without an EHCP
• Are aged 0-18 years
• Reside in Staffordshire (excluding Stoke on Trent residents)

We understand that each family and child/young person is unique, and some families may need more support. Children and young people with complex needs may require additional assistance to access services and have a short break. These services will require a Child and Family assessment completed by an allocated social worker, often but not exclusively conducted by the Children’s Disability Team. 

Information about Aiming High Short Breaks

Information about the Aiming High short breaks can be found on Staffordshire Connects, and on the Staffordshire County Council website.

Levels of support offered

Not all children with disabilities and their families need the same level of support. In Staffordshire, there are three levels of short breaks offers, tailored to the impact of your child's disability on day-to-day life and each family's individual circumstances.

Specialist support

Severe impact - your child's assessed need has a high impact on daily living and/or development.

Targeted preventative support

Moderate impact - your child's need has a moderate impact on daily living and/or development. 

Universal support

Low impact - your child's needs have a low impact on daily living and/or development. 

Universal services and specialist support

Universal services are open to all members of the community who choose to use them. These services include:

• Libraries
• Youth Clubs
• Cinemas
• Leisure Centres
• Family Hubs
• Scouts, Brownies, Rainbows, Guides, Cubs
• Sports groups

Universal plus services are those where reasonable adjustments have been made to meet additional needs, particularly when a disability has a lesser impact on day-today life. They offer activities that enable all children and young people, including those with SEND, to have fun, enjoy themselves, and make friends. Many children and young people with SEND access quality universal services and/or a mixture of targeted short breaks services. 

Aims of these activities are:

• The child or young person's family feel supported
• The child or young person needs support to build relationships and social skills with others in their community
• The young person needs support to prepare for adulthood

How do I access them?

Many universal services advertise their activity opportunities within the local community. 

Can universal services support my child?

We recognise that children and young people with SEND can have specialist support requirements. We encourage parents and carers to access universal services and work with these providers to improve access for children and young people with SEND, increasing their knowledge and skills.

We need to continue to work in partnership with universal services to enable greater access for children and young people with SEND and their families, ensuring the provision of appropriate support.

Where can I find Universal services

You can contact your local council or visit their website and take a look at Enjoy Staffordshire Official Tourist Information For Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Connects is an online directory of local care, support, and wellbeing services, activities, and events across Staffordshire, aimed at the whole family. Staffordshire Connects makes it easier to find support and wellbeing services from hundreds of organizations, all in one place. There is a wide variety of services and activities for children and young people and their families, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.

The site is regularly updated, and new organisations are added all the time, so please check the site regularly.

Enjoy Staffordshire

Short breaks in the heart of Britain

Enjoy Staffordshire website is the official tourism site for Staffordshire, with everything you need to know, including things to do, what’s on, places to stay and where to eat. It also details disabled friendly activities and venues.

Targeted preventative support

Preventative Level Support is for children and young people where disability has a moderate impact on day-to-day life, such as:

• The child or young person and their family is isolated
• Caring for the child or young person has a moderate impact on the health (including mental health) of their parent/carer and/or the family unit
• The child or young person needs a moderate level of supervision and care to ensure their safety and wellbeing
• The young person needs additional support to prepare for independence in adulthood

Service examples:

• Autism hub
• SEND Local Offer
• Occupational Therapy
• Aids and Adaptions
• Targeted short breaks activities such as Aiming High
• Family Hubs

Targeted short breaks 

These activities are specifically designed for children and young people with SEND and are funded by the Local Authority. 

What are targeted short breaks?

Targeted short breaks differ from universal services as they are specifically designed for and targeted at children and young people with SEND. We deliver our targeted short breaks through our Aiming High programme.

Activities over the last 12 months have included:

• Horse riding
• Football and games
• Chill out sessions
• Wildlife sessions
• Yoga
• Trips to museums and activity parks
• Theatre trips
• Farm and safari trips
• Cooking and crafts
• Groups and youth clubs

Aiming High is a programme of activities and short breaks for children and young people aged 0-18 years old with a special educational need/disability (SEND) who live in Staffordshire. Activities are available to anyone with a need, and an EHCP is not required. Some activities are open to the whole family, while others are suitable for children and young people to attend independently.

Family activities

These activities are planned and delivered by providers, allowing families to attend together. Parents/carers and siblings can join in, with activities designed for the child/young person with SEND to enjoy and participate in.

Independent activities

These activities are planned and delivered for children/young people to attend independently. Children/young people can be dropped off with the provider and then collected later. Parents/carers can also choose to stay nearby to chat with other parents/ carers, as this helps to build support networks among parents/carers and provides time for socialising.

Who delivers our activities

We have 9 providers offering activities to children, young people and families:

• Action for Children
• Caudwell Children
• Chase Aqua Rural Enterprise
• Chuckle Productions
• Doves Care and Support
• Gartmore Riding School
• Let Us Play
• Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
• Stoke City Community Trust

How do I access Aiming High short breaks?

Many of our targeted community-based short breaks are open to children and young people with SEND, who need extra support to participate in activities. You do not need to have a confirmed diagnosis to access these services.

Information on Aiming High activities is available on the Staffordshire Connects website. We also send out a brochure containing an overview of activities at the end of each month to everyone on the Aiming High mailing list. Full details can be found on the Staffordshire Connects website.

We also send a termly newsletter containing news and updates about Aiming High to everyone on the Aiming High mailing list.

To register your interest and discuss available opportunities, please contact our booking team at:

Phone: 0300 111 8007 (option 2, then option 3)

Email: aiminghigh@staffordshire.gov.uk

Free activity offer

Children and young people can access two free activities each month through the Aiming High free activity offer. Once the free activities for a particular month have been used, children and young people can participate in additional activities for a charge, which is paid directly to the provider at the activity.

How do I book places and make referrals?

To book please call: 0300 111 8007 – option 2 and then option 3

Lines are open: Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm

Please have the following details of the activity you wish to book onto, ready when calling:

• Provider
• Event name
• Date of the activity
• Child's name and date of birth
• Who has parental responsibility*
• Contact numbers and email addresses

*Only those with parental responsibility can book activities. If parents wish for someone else to book activities on their behalf, they must provide verbal or written permission to the Council via the booking line or the Aiming High inbox.

Confirmed places and expressions of interest

We want to ensure that bookings for our activities are accessible to everyone. If you are unable to contact our booking team via telephone, please email: sendreferrals@staffordshire.gov.uk and a member of the team will be in touch as soon as possible.

If you can please include on the email:

• Child's name
• Date of birth
• Activity
• Activity provider
• Date of activity
• Child's school
• Details of SEND need
• If 1:1 support will be needed
• Who has parental responsibility

This information will help the team handle your enquiry. However, please be aware that emails are checked periodically, and the best way to secure a place is via the phoneline.

To ensure everyone has a chance to access a free activity, we are also using an Expression of Interest option for some activities. You can call to request a place on the activity and be placed on the Expression of Interest list. You will then be contacted by the provider after day 11 of the month to confirm if you have a place. This supports equitable booking for sessions that are in high demand.

The Staffordshire Connects website will detail when activities are fully booked.

Community support

Lifeskills and independence

The 1-1 Life Skills Programme comprises a maximum of sixteen 4-hour sessions (64 hours annually) of 1-1 support from commissioned providers. This programme focuses on achieving specific outcomes to help the young person prepare for adulthood.

To qualify as a Lifeskills and Independence opportunity, any support period must last a minimum of 2 hours and be facilitated outside the school day. This can include evenings, weekends, or during school holidays.

Referrals can be received for any child or young person aged 11-25 who has a formal diagnosis of SEND. However, for those aged 18-25, only those who are not eligible to receive paid services from Adult Social Care (18+) will be deemed eligible for support. Referrals can be made by any member of the public via telephone or email. There is no requirement for a member of the social care team or health professional to be involved with the family or make the initial referral.

The programme is focused on achieving specified outcomes, which are to be agreed upon with the child or young person and their family.

To find out more visit: Staffordshire Connects | Lifeskills & Independence information

Specialist support

Further support can be offered following a Social Care Assessment, with the child/young person meeting the requirements of the Children Act 1989, Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, and subsequent legislation. This support can come in the form of:

Residential and overnight provision - In Staffordshire, residential and overnight provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities is available through resource centres in Cannock, East Staffs, and Newcastle. These centres provide overnight Residential Short Breaks, which are overnight stays at weekends or during school holidays, as well as community short breaks offering activities both in and outside the resource centre.

Support includes both emergency and non-emergency overnight provision, based on assessed need. The resource centres in Cannock and East Staffs are in-house, provided by the Local Authority. The resource centre in Newcastle is a commissioned service provided by Action for Children.

More information can be found on Staffordshire Connects and the Action for Children website.

Domiciliary care, Community Support and Sitting Services - Community and Home Care Support and Socialisation aims to help families stay safe and well together at home, preventing an escalation of needs.

The Sitting Service ensures parents/carers are supported to take a short break from their caring role and responsibilities when caring for a child or young person aged 0 – 18 with SEND.

Complex and urgent care - The Council has a statutory duty to provide complex and urgent care to children and young persons aged 0-18 with complex needs and/or disabilities (including learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Conditions, or both, and challenging behaviours) and their families in their own home.

Summary

The Staffordshire Short Breaks Statement 2025-2026 provides comprehensive information for families and professionals supporting children and young people aged 0-18 years with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in Staffordshire. The statement outlines the range of short break services available, how to access them, and how they are designed to meet local needs.

Key highlights include:

• Universal services - services open to all community members, with adjustments made to meet additional needs
• Targeted short breaks - activities specifically designed for children and young people with SEND, delivered through the aiming high programme
• Specialist support - additional community support following a social care assessment, including domiciliary care, community support, and residential and overnight provision

Publication and review

Our Short Break Service Statement is published on the council’s local offer website. The Statement will be reviewed annually. The review will continue to reflect the views and choices of disabled children, young people and their families.

Downloadable version

A downloadable version of this information is available below. 

Staffordshire Short Breaks Sufficiency Statement (2.37 MB)