Short Break Duty is ‘positive catalyst’ for change

20^th January 2012

Campaign calls for Government to monitor short break delivery against the Duty

The Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign has today (19^th January) published a new report entitled 'Short Breaks Services Statements: Commitment and Transparency'. This report looks at the Short Breaks Services Statements produced by 55 local authorities (LAs), and finds that 93% say they are providing the required range of services.

The report also shows a significant leap in the numbers of LAs publishing high quality eligibility criteria and a notable increase in the number of areas operating Local Offers for short break services. It finds that the duty to provide short breaks has driven a positive dialogue between LAs and families with disabled children, and has given LAs the confidence to take an innovative approach within an agreed framework. This has led campaigners at EDCM to call on the Government 'to replicate this success and introduce a duty to underpin the delivery of a Local Offer for all disabled children's services.' EDCM is calling for evidence to be collected on the impact of the Duty on the ground. The Campaign is concerned that in the context of non-ringfenced funding and the closure of many disabled children's services that success in delivering requirements under the Duty may be masking a reduction in short breaks for disabled children.

Findings from Short Breaks Services Statements: Commitment and Transparency include:

• 93% of short breaks service statements assessed said they were providing the required range of services
• There has been a notable increase in the number of areas developing Local Offers for short break services
• Disabled children, young people and their family's involvement in local decision making on short break provision is becoming ingrained
• Since the Short Break Duty came into effect there has a decline in LAs at risk of legal challenge on their short break eligibility criteria from 28% to 15%

Christine Lenehan, EDCM Board Member says "It is clear that the Short Break Duty has acted as a positive catalyst for cultural change, and policy and practice improvement in a wide range of LAs. This is an excellent indication that duties such as these can enable innovation and drive good practice within local areas, in a way which benefits the LA and local families. We would like the Government to continue to replicate this success and introduce a duty to underpin the delivery of a Local Offer for all disabled children's services.

 "However, we remain concerned that LAs must be able to demonstrate the impact that their short break service is having on the ground. Over the coming year EDCM will speak to disabled children, young people and their families to find out whether Short Breaks Services Statements have improved delivery on the ground. It is vital that LAs continue to prioritise short break services and spend the full amount of funding that has been identified for short breaks through the Early Intervention Grant. Delivering on the Short Break Duty is meaningless without ensuring the services are being protected."

-ENDS-

1. Every Disabled Child Matters is the national campaign to get rights and justice for every disabled child. It is run by four leading organisations working with disabled children and their families: Contact a Family, Council for Disabled Children, Mencap and the Special Educational Consortium.   Find out more at www.edcm.org.uk
2. View EDCM's report at http://bit.ly/z2Ipko
3. Local Offers enable families to refer themselves to universal short break services without any need for an assessment, and provides streamlined access to assessment for those who need targeted or specialist support services. This saves money for the LA as they conduct fewer assessments and enables families to easily access services.
   
4. Parents told parliamentary hearings in 2006 that 'the lack of short breaks was the biggest single cause of unhappiness with service provision'. Between 2010/11 - 2014/15 the Government is investing £800million in short breaks. To underpin this financial commitment the Government has introduced a 'Short Break Duty' which requires LAs to publish a 'short break service statement' with detail about local short break provision.
   
5. View the Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011 at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/707/contents/made