SEND - Local offer

Developing Short Breaks

Commissioners work alongside professionals and parents to review and develop short breaks services.  This ensures lived experience and best practice approaches is central to commissioning work.  The parent carer forum ‘Parents Opening Doors’ (PODS) is a key strategic partner in this work bringing a wealth of feedback from families to the table.In Telford and Wrekin, we work together with children, young people and their families to achieve the best possible outcomes in all areas of their life, believing that with the ‘right support at the right time’ this is possible.  Working together, children and young people with disabilities can and will achieve their full potential.

Guiding Principles:

• Co-production to ensure the Short Breaks offer is built on lived experience
• Community Inclusion to enable children and young people with disabilities and their families to engage in their community, accessing universal services
• There are a range of support options offering choice and quality that meet the individual needs and aspirations of children and young people with disabilities
• The Short Breaks offer will support Parent/carer and family wellbeing
• Activities are meaningful and those that children and young people want
• Services and activities will imbue children and young people with disabilities with confidence and set them on a path to independence.

Commissioning within A Tiered Offer of Support

 

Specialist - The local authority ensures there is sufficient care and support and respite provision available to families whose formal assessment determines this is required. This includes options such as overnight respite, one-to-one support and personal care.

Targeted and Preventative - Preventative support services enable family well-being and prevent escalation in need. Includes access to occupational therapy, aids and deductions, early help and strengthening families. Targeted activities are designed for children and young people to engage in opportunities for fun and activity.

Universal - supporting families to be part of their community and connected to all the local services and activities available to all people.

Short Breaks Forum

Local Authority representatives meet regularly with parent carers to exchange information, gain feedback, make decisions and plan forward.  This is an important forum and we are grateful to the parent carers for the investment of their time and the insights and ideas they bring. You can read the minutes from previous forums here. If you would like details of future forums, please email shortbreaks@telford.gov.uk

Consultations and Feedback

Commissioners gain feedback from families in many ways:

• The Short Breaks forum
• The feedback that providers collate from families
• Using complaints and compliments
• Using PODS annual surveys and targeted discussions they may have
• Formal consultations.  Please find a link to the 2021 Consultation report here.