Overnight Short Breaks Consultation - Parent/Carers

Overview

The Children Act 1989 requires local authorities to provide short breaks for families with disabled children. Short breaks give carers a break from additional caring responsibilities while enabling children and young people to meet friends, take part in activities, develop independence and have fun.

The Council’s current short breaks offer comprises of a wide suite of early intervention provision including Short Breaks Community Clubs and Activities, and subsidised caravan holidays as well as specialist support such as overnight short breaks when a specific need is identified through social care assessment.

This consultation is concerned with the overnight short breaks element only. The overnight short breaks offer includes:

• The Maples, run by ECC, based in Harlow
• Lavender House, run by ECC, based in Colchester
• External providers such as Achieving Aspirations and St Christophers Cottage
• Direct Payments (where a professional carer attends a family home overnight)
• Family-based care (foster carers that enable families to have short breaks)

Following the publication of the Council’s Short Breaks Commissioning Strategy, a review of the overnight short breaks provision has taken place and the Council is proposing to make changes to the overnight short breaks offer.  The purpose of this consultation is to hear the views of parent carers and their families who are currently accessing overnights short breaks, or may need to access them in the future. The consultation will also help the Council understand the impacts the changes would have on families.   

The consultation is made up of multiple choice, yes/no answer questions and open text questions.

If you would rather be able to speak to us than take part in the online survey please email us at CYPengagement@essex.gov.uk and we will contact you directly to arrange the time to go through the survey with you over the phone, video call or face to face.

Why your views matter

The purpose of this consultation is to hear the views of parent carers and their families who are currently accessing overnights short breaks, or may need to access them in the future. The consultation will also help the Council understand the impacts the changes would have on families.