Specialist short breaks for children, young people with a disability and their families
If you think someone may be in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise:
Are you worried about the safety or welfare of a child?If you think a child or young person may be in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise contact us on 020 8314 6660 or out of hours call 020 8314 6000.
Specialist short breaks
Specialist short breaks are for children and young people with a disability who are substantially and adversely affected in their ability to carry out normal day to day activities because of their disability and have been assessed by a social worker as needing support.
The assessment will determine what support the short breaks team would put in place.
The specialist short break commissioned services are provided through a Specialist Short Breaks Framework. The services provided through the framework enables and supports children and young people with a complex disability to live ordinary family lives, to have fun, try new activities, gain independence, and make friends.
These services support and enable families to receive short breaks from their caring responsibilities.
Our range of specialist short breaks
Peter Every House
Contact details
Rob Jones, Manager.
Eligibility
Children with severe or profound disabilities. Children must be referred by Children’s Social Care - Short Breaks Service.
Target age range
- 5 – up until day before 18th birthday. (weekends and school holidays)
- 8 – up until day before 18th birthday. (overnight)
Venue
Crantock Road, Catford, London SE6 2QT
Hours
9.30am–4.30pm on weekends and school holidays
3.30pm– 3.30pm overnight stays on Fridays, Saturdays and during school holidays (except bank holidays)
Young Person Relate (YPR)
Contact details
Ibrahim Abdulai, Manager
Target age range
12 – up until day before 18th birthday.
Venue
Outreach support in various locations agreed with the child or young person and parents.
Hours
Five hours a week for a 12-week programme
Drumbeat Holiday Services
Contact details
Drumbeat School and ASD Services
Extended Services Manager
Tel: 0208 698 9738
Targeted age
5 - up until day before 18th birthday.
Venue
Drumbeat School
Hours
Opening hours for children and young people are 9.30 – 4.30
8 weeks per year (3 Half Terms, 1 Week at Easter, 4 Weeks during the summer)
The premises are well designed to ensure the health and safety of the children and young people and provides sufficient space to meet the children and young person’s needs. There is access to appropriate equipment to fulfil the identified individual needs of the children and young people.
Lewisham Council run short breaks provision
Venue
Rockbourne Youth Club, 41a Rockbourne Road, Forest Hill, SE23 2DA
Contact details
Laura Cole, Short Break Centre Manager
Rockbourne SEN Nights
Target age range
10 - up until day before 18th birthday.
Hours
Monday and Wednesday evenings (term time only) 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Rockbourne Saturday club
Target age range
8 - up until day before 18th birthday.
Children and young people are supported in two different age groups: 8 – 12 and 13 – up until day before 18th birthday.
Hours
10.30am–3.30pm
The service runs sessions for each age group on alternate Saturdays throughout the year.
Rockbourne holiday club
Target age range
11 - up until day before 18th birthday.
Hours
9am - 5pm.
Activities on offer
Activities comprise of centre-based activities and off-site trips in the community and are tailored to the individual child or young person’s assessed care plan, with a key focus on meeting outcomes agreed for the children and young people.
The centre has a safe enclosed garden area, as well as a sensory room and a soft playroom and provides the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities including cooking, arts and crafts and sports activities. Children and young people can take part in a wide range of trips in the community including park trips, bowling, swimming, boat trips, farm visits with the use of Rockbourne's minibus.
Domiciliary care
Domiciliary care is provided by agency workers from Lewisham Council’s Preferred Provider Framework.
Contact details
We use several different agencies to provide domiciliary care – contact the Short Breaks Team (details at the bottom of this page).
Level of care provided
Support given is based on the assessed need of the child or young person.
Direct payments
Contact details
Contact the Short Breaks Team (details at the bottom of this page).
Direct payments
Direct payments are amounts of money that we pay to meet individuals’ assessed needs. This allows people to buy their own services, resources, activities or equipment instead of us providing or arranging for the support provision.
The child or young person and their family may decide how to spend their direct payments in order to meet their agreed outcomes, in line with the terms and conditions of the direct payment agreement. All families must sign the direct payment agreement before receiving this service.
Level of care provided
Families can use the funds to buy services or support to enable them to take short breaks from their caring responsibilities.
Direct payments are paid directly to a pre-paid card account which has been set up by the local authority for parent/carers to provide the services which meet the outcomes of the child or young person as outlined within their care plan.
Direct payments might be used for employing a care worker to support a child or young person with personal care, accessing a short break activity in the community or attending other specialist provisions such as play schemes. Families can use the funds to buy services or support to enable them to take short breaks from their caring responsibilities.
Contact the team
Integrated SEND Services for Children & Young People - Short Breaks Service
Operational Short Breaks Manager
Rebekah Green: 07341 569895
Targeted Short Breaks
Lucy Cameron: 07918 612639
Rebecca Burford: 07468 709083
Tiffany Curtis 07468709247
Specialist Short Break
Claire Sullivan: 07468 709303
Viviene Allen: 07468 709273
Natalie Baker: 07468 709362
Short Breaks Reviewing Officer
Marianne Johnson: 07920 045899
Admin Apprentice
Charly Harrison: 07901 382958
Email: shortbreaks@lewisham.gov.uk