who can apply for short breaks?

In Cambridgeshire over 1,000 disabled children and young people receive short breaks through the local offer (self-assessment) and through a social care assessment.

Find out more about the local offer here.

Eligibility criteria

The law says that Local Authorities including Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) must provide short breaks. There are rules (known as ‘eligibility criteria’) which help CCC decide which families in the area can access short breaks.

If you would like to understand more about the eligibility criteria, you can read a guide called 'Support and short breaks for disabled children and young people'.

Click on this link to download the guide free of charge from CCC website.

If you need help understanding the eligibility criteria, phone the Cambridgeshire Contact Centre on 0345 045 5203 who will offer you information and advice.

If you are not eligible or do not want or need short breaks

Short breaks are just one service available from family support services. If you do not want or need specialist short break support, CCC will provide information and advice and will tell you about other organisations and services who may be able to help.

did you know?

if your child gets Higher Level DLA (Care) and you are not getting any support from social care you are automatically entitled to 100 hours of support? Read the leaflet for more information.
if you are allocated hours but cannot get provision, you should contact your social worker.