Synergy - Enquiry

After your child or young person has had an assessment, the Short Break Panel will make a decision. Your worker will let you know the outcome, and you will also receive a letter explaining it.

If you do not agree with the short breaks offer, or if your request has been turned down and you feel your child or young person should have been eligible, please contact the worker who completed your assessment within 10 working days. You can speak to them directly or email shortbreaksecs@barnsley.gov.uk.

In many cases, speaking to the worker first is the quickest and easiest way to sort things out.

They will:

talk with you about why you do not agree
look again at the information from the assessment
check if anything has been missed or needs updating

After this review, the decision may stay the same or it may change. You will be told the outcome in writing within 20 working days.

Sometimes, the worker and the Short Break Team Manager may decide that your concerns should go straight to the formal appeal stage. If that happens, they will explain this to you and let you know what happens next.

If you still do not agree with the outcome after Step 1, you can ask for a formal appeal. To do this, email shortbreaksecs@barnsley.gov.uk and clearly say that you would like to make a formal appeal for the Short Break Panel to consider.

Sometimes, families may move straight to Step 2 if, during Step 1, the worker and Team Manager feel that a formal appeal is the best next step. If this happens, this will be explained to you.

A manager will look after your appeal. They will:

talk with you about why you do not agree
review the assessment
speak to the worker who completed the assessment if needed
share your appeal and the relevant information with the next available Short Break Panel, where appropriate

You will usually receive a written response within 20 working days. If this is likely to take longer, you will be told why and given a new timescale.

A formal appeal does not always mean the case will go back to panel. If everything has already been fully reviewed at Step 1, and there is no new information or new concerns to consider, the manager may decide there is nothing further for the panel to review.

We always try to sort out concerns by talking things through with you first, as this is often the quickest and most helpful way to resolve things. However, if you still feel your concerns have not been dealt with, you have the right to make a formal complaint.

A complaint can look at:

what happened while you were receiving support from the service
your experience of how things were handled
whether the right policies, procedures or legal duties were followed

If your complaint is about a short breaks decision, it is helpful to explain:

why you are unhappy with the decision
what happened during Steps 1 and 2
why those steps did not resolve your concerns
what outcome you are hoping for

A complaint cannot directly change the short breaks decision. However, if it finds that something was not followed properly, recommendations may be made. This could include asking for your case to be looked at again by the Short Break Panel.

Complaints are considered in stages. At the end of each stage, you will receive a written response explaining the outcome and what happens next.

Find out more

For more information, or to make a complaint, visit the council’s complaints and compliments page.

How families can appeal a Short Breaks decision

Step 1 – Ask for a review

Step 2 – Formal appeal

If families still have concerns

Click here to read the Short Breaks Appeal Document (Opens in New Window)

Click here to go back to the Short Break landing page

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