Who are short breaks for?
Short breaks activities and provision are for children from birth to 18 years (up to their 18th birthday) with a disability.
| Service | How needs are identified | Through discussion with | Type of provision | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal (for everyone) | self-refer or register | parent or child | club, sport, group activities and family breaks | Ask provider about their fees |
| Targeted | working with an agency or multi agency | parent, child or agency | targeted services (specialist holidays, youth and community clubs) | Ask provider about their fees |
| Specialist | social care assessment | parent, child or social worker | domiciliary care, family based short breaks, direct payments, overnights | Social care assessment will decide |
You can contact providers directly to find out the costs for their activities, using the contact details in the directory.
Getting the right support at the right time
Lincolnshire's family help approach is about providing the right support, from the right person, at the right time.
Most children and with disabilities will access short breaks through services available in their local community. If more support is needed, families can move seamlessly between different levels of help:
- universal support: activities, clubs, family hubs, schools, health services and community groups available to all children
- early help: when additional support is needed, a trusted professional may work with your family and other services through a team around the family plan
- family help: If needs are more complex and cannot be met through existing support networks, a family help worker may be allocated to coordinate additional support and help prevent difficulties from escalating
Children with disabilities social work team provides assessments for children with the most complex disabilities and needs.
Specialist short breaks support children and their families where the child’s disability has a substantial and long term effect on their ability to have opportunities to be safe, develop skills for life and be part of their local community growing up.
Safeguarding Support
Where there are concerns about a child's safety or welfare, specialist social work support may be required through child in need or child protection processes.
“Mission statement Lincolnshire is a place where every child thrives. We champion a happy, healthy childhood, where families are supported early and children are nurtured and empowered to grow into resilient, compassionate citizens who shape a better world.”
Taken from family help strategy April 2026
