What are short breaks?
Children and young people with a disability can access enjoyable experiences away from their primary carers to enhance their personal and social development, while parents, carers and other family members are provided with a valuable break from their caring roles and responsibilities, or offered help in accessing the community for, and or, with their child or young person.
Most short breaks are available to all children with additional needs and are accessed through self-referral. However, some short breaks are more specialised and are offered where the child or young person’s needs are greater, these more specialist short breaks can be accessed following an assessment.
Short breaks provide young people with disabilities an opportunity to:
- spend time away from their parents
- have fun with their friends
- give their families a break from caring responsibilities.
Short breaks can occur during the day or evening, overnight or on weekends. They can last a few hours or several days and can be in various locations, like:
- the family home
- a carer’s home
- a residential setting
- a universal or specialist community facility or service
- subsidised family holidays.
For more details on short breaks suppliers please search for short breaks on our family services directory
