Aiming High Short Breaks Parents Event Becky Powell Aiming High Project Manager 11 th June 2009

Aiming High for Disabled Children The Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC) programme was launched in May 2007, and aims to improve the lives of disabled children and their families. The primary focus is on SHORT BREAKS Although there are other work streams:  Childcare (10 pilot sites)  Transition support  Palliative care

What is a short break? Short breaks are activities that the child or young person … has fun doing, that helps them develop friendships that allows them to try new things Short breaks also benefit parents and carers by… giving them a break from caring giving them time to spend with other children and family

So what options are there currently and what do families want? Family Link Youth clubs Befrienders After school clubs Crofters White Lodge/ Treetops Continuing care team Barnardo’s Spectrum Direct payments Crossroads Tadworth Court Warren Park Range holiday schemes Child minding Overnights at school Plus more All the existing and more… Specialist ASD service More school holiday scheme places Joint activities with siblings Disability information service Flexible support in the home Fun group overnight breaks Range of Individual breaks Accessible mainstream activities Supported family holidays

Aiming High Short Breaks Funding In the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Funding from Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) for Short Breaks in  Revenue funding is £782,600 (£40,000, £175,700, £566,900)  Capital funding is £294,700. (£0, £88,400, £206,300) The PCT allocation  Revenue funding £40,000, year 1, Years 2 & 3 are to be agreed

Scope of Aiming High short breaks development? Appropriate and timely information Appropriate and proportional assessment Fair and clear allocation of the funding and resources Specific focus on some groups Parent and carer participation Work force development Increased quality, choice and capacity Transparent and equitable eligibility and funding decisions Monitoring And feedback

These are the services we are planning to develop The commissioning of a specialist ASD service to include group sessions and individual support in the home. Additional places for disabled children in school holiday schemes to give families confidence that they will be supported during this time. A specific disability information service. Additional funding for Crofters to extend their activities to more children and further support existing children. A ‘core offer’ for all children on the disability register which is likely to be support to access the equivilent of an afterschool club a month.

These are the services we are planning to develop An individual outreach service into the home for parents and children to be better supported to work towards accessing opportunities in the community. Additional overnight provision especially for young people on the Autistic Spectrum and young people in transition. The increase of availability of specialist health training through the recruitment of a nurse trainer Creation of a user led short break panel to discuss applications for funds for small groups and individuals. (up to £500)

What do we want to achieve through this programme? We want short breaks to… be available and easy to access improve the quality of life for families not only be offered to families in crisis or experiencing difficulties be as much a break for the child as the parent be a mix of specialist and mainstream options Be appropriate to each family

Agree options, identify core offer and review process Draft Aiming High referrals flow for identifying eligibility and core offer Lead professionals include SENCOs, specialist health visitor, early years team, portage, Youth service, voluntary organisation

Approximate Budget NameDescriptionTarget groupYr 2Yr 3 Project ManagerStaff employed to oversee the project (Budget includes ½ PCT funding) 55,00058,000 Disability information service Specific information service for disabled children and their families. Helping families get all their entitlements, register for disability register and information and support to access services including short break services. All families of disabled children and disabled young people themselves 25,00060,000 Core offerDevelopment of clear information. Clear searchable web-based information available to all families including children with disabilities. All families with children eligible to be on the disability register will be supported to find and access an afterschool or weekend activity once a month. All eligible to be on the disability register 8,00060,000 DCT reorganisationCosts of additional staffing and support across the team to deliver AH targets Children eligible for DCT26,60028,100 Support to mainstream organisations Advice information and first hand support to learn how best to support disabled children accessing and wanting to access their services All disabled children4,00028,800 ASD befriending service Specialist service affiliated to NAS recruiting volunteer befrienders to link with ASD children across the spectrum. All ASD children but focus on higher functioning children 5,000 10,000 ASD Individual/ Outreach service (from the home) Support to families through contact in the home building up relationships and progressing to support to access activities and the community ASD children in groups 2 and 3 9,00040,000 Individual/ outreach service (from the home) Support to families through contact in the home building up relationships and progressing to support to access activities and the community Groups 2 and 3 children10,00060,000

Additional overnight options Working with local providers to identify and purchase additional placements overnight for children and families who would benefit but may not have had the opportunity to access overnight support before. Group 2 and 3 children10,00020,000 Nurse trainerSubject to PCT funding this post will help train staff and parents in medical interventions that allow children with more complex needs to be involved in the activities other children take for granted. All staff045,000 Additional holiday provision Range of additional holiday provision for disabled childrenAll eligible to be on the disability register 5,00050,000 YP led Small grants panel Using youth service model have a small grants panel for children and young people and small voluntary organisations to apply to. The panel will be made up of young people who are support by a voluntary organisation in their panel role. All eligible to be on the disability register 5,00010,000 Family breaks (subsidised) Group family holidays facilitated through AH funding to help support the young people and their family opportunity to spend quality time together. Children eligible for disability register and lead professionals recommend would benefit 018,000 Crofters activitiesDevelopment of additional activities for children that excite them, challenge them allow them to make friends and their parents have a break. Some of their activities to include overnights, support for specific groups and activities with siblings. Children eligible for DCT (under review) 35,00065,000 Early years activities and childminding project (pre 5) Creation of additional activities and supports for families in children’s centres and other settings. All disabled children025,000 Play specialist support Play specialist support and training to existing services to improve quality of support All disabled children08,000 Recruitment and training Robust recruitment strategy and training programme for additional sessional workers, befrienders and family link. Training for existing staff and organisations. 5,60010,000 Total203,200595,900

Next steps for the programme Agreed workforce development plan Finalisation of Aiming High delivery plan (agreement of cabinet) Create and promote calendar of parent, carers, children and young people’s events Commissioning services Monitoring and measuring outcomes

Thank you Any further questions? Becky Powell Aiming High Project Manager Children's Services & Culture London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Croft Centre, 16 Windham Rd, Kew, TW9 2HP Tel: Mobile: Fax: