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Related content

• Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC)
• Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC): Short breaks
• Children's Plan

Short breaks

Families with disabled children told government that their number one priority is regular and reliable short breaks from caring.

Responding to what families told us, most of the funding for Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC) will be spent on short breaks.

Funding

A total funding package of £370 million has been allocated by the DCSF for 2008–11 for short breaks. This comprises £280 million in revenue funding announced in May 2007, along with £90 million in capital funding announced with the Children's Plan in December 2008.

Local authority (LA) allocations are supported by £340m funding for Primary Care Trusts for short breaks, wheelchairs, community equipment and palliative care for children confirmed in the Child Health Strategy.

Twenty-one pathfinder sites have been identified to take forward best practice in the provision of short-break services. These pathfinder sites had significant new funding to improve services from April 2008. Other English LAs that demonstrated their readiness for short-break service transformation received significant new funding for short breaks from April 2009.

Short-breaks consultation

DCSF have launched the consultation on the draft regulations and statutory guidance which will introduce a Duty on local authorities to provide short breaks. The intention to legislate was announced in the Children and Young Person Act 2008, and the Duty will require LAs to continue delivering a short breaks service against the framework of the Full Service Offer. Together for Disabled Children are organising three consultation events on 8, 9 and 13 February 2010.

Frequently asked questions

The Frequently asked questions document has been prepared to support authorities and PCTs in delivering the short breaks programme. It builds on a range of other materials and resources.

Email the AHDC Implementation Team with your questions or comments.

Information, advice and guidance

The short breaks set of documents includes:

• Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC): Funding allocations and short break pathfinder arrangements (2008–11) letter

• Short breaks capital funding

• Sure Start, early years & childcare (SSEYC) grant: 2009-10 Memorandum of Grant

• Aiming High for Disabled Children: Report of short breaks pathfinder programme application process

• Aiming High for Disabled Children: Short breaks implementation guidance

• Aiming High for Disabled Children: Short breaks implementation guidance letter

• Short break Q&A.

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Associated documents

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Download the contents of this page: as a Word Document

Last updated on 04/02/2010