Respite support for families
During the COVID-19 lockdown, we have redesigned the Short Breaks offer for children with an EHCP to provide families with respite support, where it is not possible for children to attend school. This will run at the Charles Dickens Activity Centre in Lake Road and is being led by our trusted partners at Enableability.
The offer consists of a 2 hour playscheme session, available in both the morning and afternoon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. To make the most of this offer, parents may be offered no more than one of these sessions per week.
We are able to offer a limited number of places. These places will be prioritised according to the needs identified within the EHCP risk assessment that the council, school and family are completing.
For the most part, we would expect children to access their school place where it is safe and practical to do so. Where this is not possible, it is important to allocate the very limited places to families who are most in need.
Families will therefore be prioritised for this support through the EHCP risk assessment Please find attached an updated risk assessment template, which includes a specific question about respite support. If you have already submitted an EHCP risk assessment information using the previous template there is no need to re-submit this, however if families feel that they would benefit from this Short Break support, they have been asked to discuss this with the school SENCo in the first instance and so you may find it helpful to submit this updated information on the new risk assessment template.
Transport assistance is available to families accessing the Short Break sessions. Click here to read the home to school travel assistance flyer.
