The Short Breaks Statement is a guide to services offered by Portsmouth City Council.

It tells you what types of short breaks are available to support your family and how to find suitable services.

It also sets out the eligibility criteria and how you can access services.

Click here to view the document.

The Levels of Support describes who can access services/support and what is available.

Click here to view the document.

These are services that are open to all families with disabled children who can access provision with the same level of support as any other child/young person.

Examples of universal services are:

• Youth Cubs
• Family Hubs
• Sports Clubs
• Leisure and play activities

Level 1 Short Breaks can be accessed directly by parents and carers. All children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities who have additional needs that cannot be met by universal services can access these.

Level 1 Services supported by Portsmouth City Council are:

• Inclusive Holiday Playscheme
• Youth Hub: Autism Support (ages 5-18)
• Portsmouth Teenage Project (ages 14-18)
• Portsmouth Teenage Holiday Scheme (ages 14-18)

Level 2 Short Breaks are for children and young people who require a higher level of support and can be accessed directly through self-referral by the parent and carer or a referral by a Lead Professional from Education, Health and Social Care services.

Level 2 Short Breaks include the Specialist Holiday Playscheme.  It provides for children/young people aged 5 – 18 years requiring high levels of supervision owing to severe physical/learning difficulties and/or autism.  The playschemes take place during all school holiday periods except Christmas; transport is provided and all children are given the opportunity to participate in wide-ranging activities.

Click here for further details.

The Prepaid Card is for children and young people who require a higher level of support to access short break activities.  It and can be applied for directly through self-referral by the parent and carer or a referral by a Lead Professional from Education, Health and Social Care services.

The Short Breaks Prepaid Card was introduced as a personal budget to enable families access short breaks that best meet their individual needs.

A parent/carer will be eligible for a card if they are residents of Portsmouth and their child either attends:

• a special school for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities under the age of 18.
• a mainstream school and/or college/post 16 provision and have an Education, Health and Care Plan that specifies full time support (equivalent to 25 hours or more support in school or 16 hours or more support in college) and is under the age of 18.

For further information on the Prepaid Card click here.

Some children with disabilities will have more complex needs that require more specialist short breaks and /or significant additional support from another person to enable them to participate in enjoyable activities and stay safe. They should already be receiving support through universal and targeted services, but this may not be sufficient.

These specialist services include care and support within and outside the home; overnight short breaks and access to family link carers. Some will be provided by social care, such as overnight care, and others, which include specialist holiday play schemes and after school and evening activities, via Portsmouth City Council or the voluntary sector.

Access to specialist services is determined through a social care assessment. This assessment will identify and address your child’s needs as well as the needs of the wider family including the parent carer.

For further information, click here to view information on the Children’s Disability Service.