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accessibility help and information

Call pinpoint on 0751 741 9761

short breaks for disabled children and young people

A number of organisations and services provide support which allows disabled children and young people - and their families - to have a short breaks or take part in a fun activity. You will soon be able to search this website for activities that suit your needs. 

In the meantime, here is information on some of the support you might be able to get.

People who provide specialist short breaks (you will have to meet social care eligibility criteria to get these services - check if you are automatically entitled to 100 hours)

Inclusion Project

Cambridgeshire County Council has also commissioned Action for Children to help them make more non-specialist local activities accessible to disabled children and young people and their families. There is more information on this in the Inclusion Project leaflet.

Extended Schools

Schools offer a range of after-school activities. Download our update on what is being offered by special schools.

Cool2Care - Care-workers for you!

Could the lives of you and your family be enriched by employing a care-worker to help out at the busy times of your day, or during the school holidays? Would you like to employ a care-worker to help out at the busy times of your day, or during school holidays? Would you like to employ a care-worker to help out at the busy times of your day, or during school holidays? Would you like to employ a care-worker to care for your child or be a buddy for your teenager? If so Cool2Care say they can help.... Cool2Care take referrals and enquiries from families and is accessible to any family with a disabled child or teenager. They recruit, train and place skilled care-workers and personal assistants with families, to help look after and work with disabled children and young adults. The family's requirements are considered throughout and you are supported and in control of the employment process. Cool2Care is compatible with Direct Payments and Individual Budgets, or families can use their benefits and private income to pay for care. Also you won't have to pay our one-off fee if you sign up this year! For more information on employing or becoming a care-worker or even delivering training, email Rachel Thomas or phone her on 07850 709446. Or visit the Cool2Care website. 

GPs prescription service provides short break for parents of children with ADHD

As a mother of a four year old with ADHD I have spent the last few months trying to find a respite scheme so that the my husband and I could take my eldest son (aged 8) out for a quiet day on our own.  As we don't have any family locally, respite is an extremely rare event and as Edward has been incredibly demanding since birth and only recently diagnosed and prescribed Ritalin, my husband and I are always tired.

I had enquired about the Aiming High 100 hours scheme and the Links Volunteers scheme but because Edward doesn't qualify for higher rate DLA, social services advised that we aren't eligible for any respite care at all.  I found this criteria very harsh as every family and child is different, and anyone who has an undiagnosed child with ADHD will know that untreated, the condition is very difficult to manage.

When I saw the Crossroads GP Prescription scheme I decided to give it a go but was almost certain that there would be criteria stipulated that we wouldn't meet.  However, my doctor at the Moathouse Surgery was more than happy to write the prescription having known what we had been through over the last few years, though he wasn't sure what we would be offered, as it was the first Carers Prescription he had written.

I contacted Crossroads and spoke to the Care Manager for Children's Services.  I answered a few brief questions and was told that he would be able to organise a couple of Sunday afternoons respite for the family and that he would be out to see me on Monday morning the following week.  That phone call was a bit of a shock as I had always had to fight so hard for anything we had received in the past.

Monday came and the Care Manager made all the enquiries he needed to in order to find an appropriate carer for Edward.  He was very friendly, professional and I was surprised by how much he knew about Autism and ADHD and how tiring it can be for parents.  We agreed that as Edward loves swimming he would try and find someone to take him to the local pool that Sunday afternoon!  By the end of the day he called me back and had found a carer who was happy to take Edward swimming that Sunday and could take him again in a couple of weeks time, so that he wouldn't have to get used to two different carers.

Sunday came and the carer was a lovely man who loved kids and was like a grandfather figure to Edward.  They played computer games, went swimming and watched a DVD together and Edward was very happy.  Meanwhile my husband and I took our eldest son out for lunch and was lucky enough to go to the young carers youth club to play football, cricket and make cookies.   A good time was had by all!

There are currently 17 surgeries in the Cambridgeshire area who have taken part in the GP Carers Prescription Scheme trial.  So if you are lucky enough to belong to one of these surgeries then please go along and ask for a prescription as the scheme is currently undersubscribed. http://www.westangliacrossroads.org.uk/downloadlibrary/GP%20Prescription%20Leaflet.pdf

Clubs and groups

The SCIP Co-ordinator regularly updates a list of clubs and groups. There is one per area:

 

 



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