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Short breaks and the local offer

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The resources on this page will help parent carers use the local offer to make sure there is a sufficient level of high-quality short break services for families in the area.


THE SHORT BREAKS PARTNERSHIP BULLETIN

In this issue of the bulletin:

  • How short breaks fit into the local offer: the legal perspective by Steve Broach.
  • The SENDirect team on consultation.
  • Share your experiences of short break provision.

Download this edition of the short breaks bulletin [PDF].


CASE STUDIES 

  • ‘Co-produced, co-designed from the beginning’ – Contact a Family case study about a parent carer forum working with their local authority. 

Wiltshire Parent Carer Council is an independent forum for parent carers of children with special educational needs or disabilities aged 0-25. By working with the local authority, a culture change is becoming embedded where families, commissioners and providers actively work together in participation and co-production. 

Read the full case study.

  • ‘Bringing stakeholders together to coproduce a valued resource’ – Action for Children case study about a local council that consulted chldren, young people and parents to develop its local offer

Enfield Council wanted to develop a local offer that is a central and valued resource for families that they turn to as their first source of information. It appointed a dedicated worker to engage with children, young people, parents and colleagues in education, health, social care and the voluntary sector to identify what services it provides, its eligibility criteria and the accessibility of the service.

Read the full case study.

  • ‘Engaging children and young people in the local offer’ – KIDS case study about two parents who helped produce a short breaks local offer.

Gary and Jen came to a session for parents to support KIDS with producing their submission for the local offer. In this account they talk about their experiences working with a short break provider to develop a local offer that meets the needs of children, young people and parent carers.

Read the full case study.

  • ‘The local offer as a commissioning tool’ – Council for Disabled Children case study about how a local authority produced its local offer in partnership with families.

The local offer has the potential to be a powerful commissioning tool, allowing services to gather first-hand experience from families accessing their services on how they are (or are not) meeting individual needs.This case study talks about how one local authority carried out a successful joint review and needs analysis to produce its local offer.

Read the full case study.


CONTACT US

We are really keen to hear from you if you have any feedback or suggestions for either the joint bulletins or resources. You can get in touch by emailing parent.participation@cafamily.org.uk.