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Short Breaks for Older Children and Teens

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What are short breaks?

Short breaks, help families with children, aged up to 25 who have a disability.

They give you time away from home, at a group or club for a few hours each week. You can do fun activities and spend time with other young people with similar needs. Parents or carers get a break so they can relax, take care of themselves, and do the things that need to be done at home, like laundry or their weekly shop. It's time for them and it's time for you. 

Short breaks are free, but you have to apply for them.

Who can and can't apply for Short Break

✅ You or your parents/carers can apply if you have a diagnosed disability, including Autism. 

❌ If you have a diagnosis of ADHD on its own, you will not be eligible for a Short Break. 

If you think you'll be eligible and want to apply, it's a good idea to think about where you'd like to go first and put it on the application form, there are a few options to choose from depending on your age, what your needs are and what you like doing. 


What if I can't apply?
The good news is you can find other activities on the Virtual Family Hub, and The Local Offer 'Something to do' pages, lots of which are free, or don't cost much. 

You could also get involved with other groups and clubs provided by Targeted Youth Support if you meet their criteria.


Find out more: 
Read about Targeted Youth Support here


How to apply, and what happens next

Applying is easy, and you have three options:

Self-serve: Fill out the application form here and send it over to shortbreaksECS@barnsley.gov.uk.

Talk to a professional: If you're already working with a profession, like a SENCO, School Nurse or Targeted Early Help practitioner, you can ask them to do the application for you.

Assisted application: Drop by the Monthly Local Offer Drop-in sessions at The Ozone (Barnsley Football Club) on the 1st Wednesday of the month, from 10 am to 12:30 pm. Someone will be there to help you do the application and send it off there and then. 

What happens next?

Once you've sent your application in it'll be reviewed at the monthly panel meeting, depending on when you put it in, it could take a few weeks until the next panel, so try not to worry if it goes quiet for a bit. 

The outcome could be one of three things:

🤝 Agreed: Get ready for a fantastic short break activity, just for you!

⏳ Deferred: We might need a bit more information to make sure everything's perfect for you

❌ Declined: If, unfortunately, the criteria aren't met for a short break, we'll let you know.

Expect a letter within 21 days, sharing the result and telling you, how to set up the short break if it's approved.




Can I stay overnight on a short-break?

If you have complex needs or need around-the-clock care you and your parents or carers may be able to apply for an overnight stay. 

• Overnight stays at Newsome Avenue, which goes up to age 18
• Fostering - overnight provision provided by the Local Authority Fostering Service


To find out more about overnight stays, please contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub on 01226 772423 and request an assessment.


Contact us

Need help?

0800 0345 340 

infofis@barnsley.gov.uk

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