Short Breaks consultation reveals service highly valued by parent carers though also reveals high demand

Shropshire Council seeks to improve short breaks provision for children and young people with disabilities and/or special educational needs and their families.

Library image of woman and young girl painting: Credit Mikhail Nilov, Pexels images

Shropshire Council has published the results of a consultation on short breaks provision for children and young people with disabilities and/or special educational needs and their families.

The consultation, which ran from 1st May to 12th June 2024, aimed to gather feedback from various stakeholders, such as parent carers, professionals, and young people themselves, on the current challenges and gaps in the existing provision, as well as the preferred model and outcomes for the new service.

The surveys were designed in close collaboration with the Parent Carer Council Shropshire (PACC). PACC were also a key partner in getting the communication out about the consultation and encouraging stakeholders to have their say ahead in the recommissioning of short breaks.

The consultation received responses from 70 parent carers, 22 professionals and 6 children and young people. The key findings that emerged from the consultation were:

• Short breaks are highly valued by parent carers and provide vital support for families and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• There is extremely high demand for short breaks in Shropshire that is not fully being met by the number of short breaks available.
• Short breaks that are available are not meeting the range of need in the county, in particular for children and young people with more complex needs.
• While parent carers in particular who have accessed short breaks praise the current provision for their caring staff and the quality of activities provided, it is also clear from feedback that the current provision is fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to access, resulting in frustration, stress, and unmet needs for many families.
• Future short breaks should be co-produced with service users and families, and in collaboration with professionals, and should adopt a person-centred approach that takes into account the range of needs and interests among children and young people eligible for the offer.

The consultation also revealed that cost of living pressures are impacting over 40% of parent carers in the survey, including difficulties with paying transport and activities.

Moreover, the consultation highlighted the importance of several factors for designing and commissioning future short breaks, such as choice and a good range of provision, the ability to meet complex needs, 1 to 1 support, holiday provision, experienced and knowledgeable staff, communication between provider and family, and supporting the development of friendship groups.

The report also draws on additional insights from other sources of data, such as a survey  undertaken  by the Parent Carer Council Shropshire (PACC), and a 2023 survey of parent carers by Shropshire Council, and a large youth survey of over 1,800 young people in Shropshire. These sources provide further evidence of the preferences and needs of children and young people with disabilities and/or special educational needs and their families, as well as the areas of improvement needed in short breaks provision.

Following the analysis of the survey results an engagement workshop was coproduced between the council and PACC which further explored some of the key themes coming out of the surveys.

Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Cabinet Member for Children and Education at Shropshire Council, said:

“We are very grateful to everyone who took part in the consultation and shared their views and experiences with us.

“We know how important short breaks are for children and young people with disabilities and/or special educational needs and their families, and we want to ensure that we provide the best possible service that meets their needs and supports their wellbeing.

“The consultation has given us valuable insights into the current challenges and gaps in the provision, as well as the preferred model and outcomes for the future service.

“We will use this feedback to co-produce a new short breaks offer that is person-centred, inclusive, and accessible, and that reflects the diversity and aspirations of our service users and families.”

“Shropshire Council is committed to improving short breaks provision for children and young people with disabilities and/or special educational needs and their families, and will use the feedback from the consultation to co-produce a new service that meets the needs and aspirations of the service users and families.

“The report will inform the work of the Children’s and Young People Commissioning team and the future Shropshire Short Breaks offer.”

The report can be accessed online at https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/the-send-local-offer/news/short-breaks-consultation-response/

For more information about the report and its findings, email shortbreaks@shropshire.gov.uk.

Further information

The Short Breaks Offer workshop, organised by Shropshire Council and PACC, involved bringing together SEND families and key officers and partners to review the feedback from previous surveys.  The workshop included:

• An overview of the current contracting arrangements, challenges, opportunities and what we need to achieve to recommission all short breaks by April 2025 –
• What parent carers told us about short breaks – with an opportunity for questions from attendees
• Group discussions covering
  • What do we think is missing (from the short breaks offer) that wasn’t covered by earlier consultations with SEND families.
  • Care and Support in the home – is this a good way to support the short breaks offer?
  • Early Support – a shift to the early help (while still delivering on specialist need)
  • Social Prescribing – in the context of short breaks