Short Breaks offer
We enable disabled children and young people to develop the skills to Prepare for Adulthood, to access community activities and to also increase independence skills. This is achieved through an allocation of a personal budget that can be used for agreed activities or support. This support will provide the carer with a short break.
There are two ways you can access short breaks. One is by completing the Self Referral form for short breaks funding if your child has high rate Disability Living Allowance (Care component) or the enhanced rate Personal Independence Payment and the other is through a disability social care assessment.
Through self referral
If your child or young person doesn't receive services from social care and has high rate Disability Living Allowance (Care Component) or the enhanced rate Personal Independence Payment (PIP), they have an automatic entitlement to our local short breaks offer. You will receive a personalised budget that can be used for agreed activities and support as identified in your child’s short break plan. To apply please complete the form below:
Self Referral form for short breaks funding
You will need to provide some information about your child, your contact details and upload or attach a photo of their DLA or PIP entitlement. If you do not have everything you need at hand you can save the form at any point and return to it at another time. Once you have submitted your completed form you will receive a confirmation email with a reference number. We will contact you within seven days to introduce your child’s allocated worker. They will work together with you and your child to create your support plan and we aim to complete this within four weeks of the team receiving your request.
If you are unable to apply online, contact our Referral and Access Team on 01480 372767. After a brief chat they will send you a self-assessment form to complete.
Through a disability social care assessment
If your child or young person has a disability and will require lifelong support from statutory services, their social care assessment may indicate that they are eligible for short break / Early Help funding. You will receive a personalised budget that can be used for agreed activities and support. For some Early Help Plus enables an increased personal budget to meet assessed needs. Early Help Plus plans are reviewed at least every six months to ensure that needs continue to be met and is overseen by a social work manager.
View our Disability Social Care 0-25 page for more details on applying, eligibility and assessments
Price Guide
Find out more about short breaks on our Short Breaks and Self Directed Support price list page.
Short Breaks Duty Statement
All local authorities are required to provide short breaks for disabled children.
This is called the Short Breaks Duty. The Short Breaks Duty statment page outlines how we meet this duty in Cambridgeshire and includes our full short breaks duty statement.