Short Breaks for Disabled Children in Southend-on-Sea: your questions answered
Question 1: What are short breaks for disabled children?
Short breaks are opportunities for your disabled child to enjoy activities, learn, and socialise outside of their usual routine. They also provide you, as parents and carers, with a break from your caring responsibilities.
The term ‘Short Breaks’ covers a range of vital support services which help families with disabled children to lead ‘ordinary lives’. Southend-on-Sea City Council, like many local areas have a tiered approach to Short Breaks, with targeted and specialist short breaks which supplement the universal services available to all children and families.
Specialist short breaks (often referred to as tailored short breaks) are provided for families where Social Care assessment indicates the family requires respite or other high-cost care packages to support their disabled child. Read more about Tailored Short Breaks here.
Targeted short breaks, are provided for families through the Community Access Grant and the Main Access Grant. These grants have been made available to support the needs of any disabled child whose family may want or need services above what is available locally without an assessment. Read more here.
Universal services are provided by a wide range of organisations, including private and voluntary sector organisations. Details of leisure services and activities within the area, including organisations offering short break services are found within the SEND Local Offer.
Families using universal services will be expected to pay the same as anyone else for all general leisure activities, sports clubs and out of school clubs.
Question 2: How do I know what short break my disabled children is eligible for?
Local Authorities are required to produce a Short Breaks Service Statement so that families know what services are available, eligibility criteria, and how the range of services is designed to meet the needs of the families with disabled children and young people in the area.
You can read the statement on pages 1 to 5 of this document.
Question 3: The Community Access Grant application form has changed from previous years – why is this?
This year, the application form is hosted on the "My Southend" portal. The portal allows the registered user to complete the application form, save your progress, return to it later, and track your application using a case number.
The short breaks team can also communicate with you through the portal, keeping all communications in one place.
Question 4: You are asking for lots of information – why is this?
The short breaks panel needs this information to determine your child or young person's eligibility for a Community Access Grant and to understand their specific support needs related to their disability. This helps the short breaks panel understand the impact of their needs and the support they require at home, in education and in the community. Your request may be declined if we don't have enough information.
Question 5: I can't access the electronic form, what can I do?
If you are unable to access the online form, you can request a paper-based application form by emailing shortbreaks@southend.gov.uk
Completed forms can be returned to the same email address or posted to:
Short Breaks
Children's Social Care
Civic Centre
Victoria Avenue
Southend
SS2 6ER
Question 6: My child does not have a confirmed diagnosis – can I still apply for a Community Access Grant?
Yes, your child does not need a formal diagnosis for you to apply for a grant. We understand some children are waiting for a formal assessment. This is why providing detailed information is very helpful to understand the impact of your child's needs. The short breaks panel base decisions on the additional support needed, not a diagnosis.
Question 7: What can the Community Access Grant be used for?
The Community Access Grant is intended to support parents and carers to arrange activities to support their disabled child, such as to:
- access activities they would not normally be able to enjoy
- have extra support to access an activity while you have a break
- have extra support within their own home
- access a holiday club or play scheme
Question 8: What cannot the Community Access Grant be used for?
The grant cannot be used for the following:
- transport/travel
- purchase of vehicles
- having a car serviced or repaired
- building and refurbishments – including decorating
- furniture
- clothes
- a holiday
- annual ground rent for a caravan or holiday home
- personal equipment
- activities during normal school days/hours (for school age children)
Question 9. Why have you funded holidays in previous years but not this year?
In taking into account the allocation of short breaks funding for all tiers, and the services otherwise available to families (as listed above in Q1), we have carefully reviewed the criteria and what the grant award can and cannot be used for.
in previous years the criteria were not fair or equitable. The Local Authority has a duty to ensure that the short breaks offer ensure children have the chance to engage in fun activities, develop new interest and opportunities to socialise whilst offering carers a much-needed respite from their caring responsibilities. Holidays for the whole family does not offer this as the carers still have caring responsibilities for their children with SEND needs
To ensure there is an equitable distribution and best use of available funds we are unable to award financial assistance for a family holiday. We will instead prioritise play, recreational or leisure activities for disabled children in their community during the evenings, at weekends and during the school holidays.
We are aware that the Family Fund offer grants for family breaks for those on low income or in receipt of some benefits. Please visit this link for more information.
Question 10: I have more than one child with a disability – can I apply for a Community Access Grant for each child?
Yes, you can apply for each individual child. However, you must complete a separate application form for each child.
Families with more than one eligible child can apply for a grant for each eligible child, but the maximum a family can receive is £1,000 for the financial year.
Please note a child/young person can only receive one grant per year.
Question 11: Is there a fixed sum or a cap on the amount of money I can request?
The Community Access Grant is an award up to the value of £500. That does not mean you have to apply or will be awarded the full amount.
The short breaks panel will consider the amount of funding needed for the type of activity you have requested and will make funding awards as necessary.
Families with more than one eligible child can apply for a grant for each eligible child, but the maximum a family can receive is £1,000 for the financial year.
Question 12: I had an error message when completing the online form – what can I do?
We are aware there were some initial issues. If you saved information and encountered an error, please log back in and try to continue with your saved progress.
Question 13: My child has support from Social Care in the form of Direct Payments or respite. Can I apply for a Community Access Grant?
If you are receiving a tailored package of support from children's social care following an assessment of need relating to your child's disability, you will not be able to apply for a Community Acces Grant as it is considered your child is already getting extra support for their needs.
Question 14: I live in a neighbouring authority – can I apply for a Community Access Grant?
No, Southend-on-Sea City Council's offer is available to children and young people who reside in the city. Visit your authorities' Local Offer to find out about short breaks in your area.
Question 15: Can I apply for my child that is 19 years of age?
No, the Community Access Grant is currently only available to children and young people aged between 0 to 18 years old.
Question 16: What about support for groups and organisations?
Organisations and groups can apply for a Main Access Grant (up to the value of £10,000) to provide short breaks programmes for a wider group of disabled children and young people.
These activities will typically take place after school, during school holidays, and at weekends. A list of funded providers will be available to view on the Main Access Grant page.
The short breaks panel will be considering awards to groups in June. We expect to fund clubs and activities that help children and young people to take part in activities away from their family, make friends, try new things or develop skills and independence.
Question 17: Will Southend-on-Sea City Council review the current short breaks service?
We have listened to feedback and are committed to ensuring our short breaks services effectively meet the needs of families in Southend-on-Sea. To do this, we plan to evaluate and review our short breaks offer during 2025 through several methods:
- Feedback from families: we will seek feedback from parent carers through surveys, online questionnaires, and through focus groups. Your experiences and suggestions are vital in shaping our services. We will share details on how you can get involved via the SEND Local Offer on Livewell Southend and the "My Southend" portal
- Monitoring usage: we will analyse Community Access Grant applications and the activities provided by the Main Access Grant recipients. This helps us to assess the effectiveness of the current services and identify any areas for improvement or development.
- Outcome measurement: where appropriate, we will look at the impact of the short breaks on children and young people, such as their engagement in activities, social interaction, and development of skills. This might involve feedback from activity providers and potentially from families
- Data: we will used information about disabled children and families in our area using a range of data sources including (but not limited to) the SEND Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the disabled children's register