Local authority pathfinders for short breaks announced
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has launched a three-year programme aiming to transform short break services for disabled children. This represents a £370 million investment for local authorities that will extend to all of England from 2009.
Breaks will vary in length from just a few hours to a weekend or week, with children being cared for in their own homes or accessing activities and places in the wider community.
The first wave of 21 “pathfinder” areas include Bradford, Bolton, Bournemouth-Dorset-Poole (joint pathfinders), Brighton, Dudley, Derbyshire, Enfield, Gloucestershire, Gateshead, Halton, Kent, North Yorkshire, North Tyneside, Nottinghamshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Sutton, Sunderland, Telford and Wrekin.
The funding allocations are at:www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/pnattach/20080007/1.html
The review of Aiming high for disabled children found that short breaks are seen as the highest priority service for families with disabled children. This programme will deliver a total of £430 million-plus to local authorities in new investment in disabled children’s services during 2008–2011.
In addition, the Department of Health will be providing significant funding to PCTs to improve services for disabled children with complex health needs and those with life-limiting conditions which require palliative care over the same period.
The DH has identified short break services as a local priority for NHS services from 2008.