Short Breaks

In 2006 a series of Parliamentary hearings took place which assessed the services for disabled children. In these hearings parents told parliamentarians that 'the lack of short breaks was the biggest single cause of unhappiness with service provision'.

Short breaks provide opportunities for disabled children and young people to spend time away from their primary carers. These include day, evening, overnight or weekend activities and take place in the child's own home, the home of an approved carer, a residential or community setting.

Short break funding

Over the past few years we have seen unprecedented amounts of funding going into funding short breaks. This included a pledge of £800million to be delivered between 2011/12 and 2014/15 through the Early Intervention Grant. This followed the success of the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme. Find out more about funding for short break services

Short breaks and the law

In January 2011 Parliament passed regulations that put a duty on local authorities to provide short breaks services in their local area. This is known as the 'Short Break Duty' and  came into effect on 1 April 2011. One of the requirments on local authorities under this duty is to produce a short break services statement with details of local short break provision. Find out more about the Short Break Duty and EDCM's work monitoring its impact.

EDCM's research on short breaks

Between 2008 - 2011 EDCM undertook a research project evaluating the impact of the Aiming High for Disabled Children short breaks programme on the lives of disabled children and their families.  EDCM produced annual reports on its findings. Find out more and read the reports.

Why short breaks and not respite?

The literal definition of 'respite' is 'the laying down of a burden' or a 'temporary cessation of something that it tiring or painful'. This language is not positive. The term 'respite' reinforces the view that disabled children are passive recipients who have things done to them, rather than active citizens with lives to live. EDCM believe that the wider transformation for services for disabled children must be cultural, not just financial.

The language of disability has rightly changed over the years, and the term 'short breaks' is part of that process. The crucial difference in short breaks is that both the parent and the child get a break that suits their individual needs. As we move towards transformation, the child's break is valid and valued by all.