What are short breaks for disabled children?

Short breaks give a disabled child an enjoyable, skill-building experience away from home while their parent-carer rests; every council in England must by law provide a range, and the universal tier is usually free.

What a short break actually is

A short break is time the child spends doing something they enjoy while you get a rest from caring. It can be an hour or two, or up to a week. In practice it covers things like after-school and weekend clubs, holiday schemes, sleepover clubs, befriending and buddy schemes, outdoor and adventure activities, and overnight stays. The Department for Education describes short breaks as a chance for disabled children to take part in activities and build skills while their parents and carers get a break, and the Disabled Children's Partnership sets out the same range, from daytime through to overnight, weekend and holiday provision.

The bit most pages leave out: it is a legal duty

Short breaks are not just a nice local service the council runs if it can afford to. In England they are a statutory duty. Under the Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011, every council must provide a range of breaks - daytime care, overnight care, support for activities outside the home, and provision in the evenings, at weekends and during the school holidays - so far as is reasonably practicable. The council must also publish a Short Breaks Services Statement on its website, setting out what is on offer, any eligibility criteria, and how the range meets local families' needs. The underlying power sits in Schedule 2 to the Children Act 1989. This duty applies in England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland arrange respite and short breaks differently.

Do you need a diagnosis or an assessment?

No formal diagnosis is required. Eligibility turns on your child being a disabled child within the meaning of the Children Act 1989 and on the council's published criteria, not on a particular label. Most councils run their short breaks in tiers. The universal tier, listed on your council's Local Offer, is usually free and open to all without a social-care assessment - think inclusive holiday clubs or after-school sessions. More individually-tailored or overnight support normally follows a child-and-family assessment under the Children Act 1989, and you can ask for a carer's assessment of your own needs too. A tier being assessed does not mean it is out of reach; it means the council looks at what your child specifically needs first.

This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.