The Director for Children, Families and Education has decided to re-commission the Short Breaks contract for a 2-year term with the option of 2x one year extensions, starting on 1st January 2025 utilising the existing budget of £120,000 per year, and adopting an alternative service model which ensures that the short breaks service reaches more children and families, and provides greater value for money, and prevents potential crisis and family breakdown.

The Council has a statutory duty to deliver a Short Breaks offer, as per Section 25 of the Children and Young Person’s Act, for children and young people between 0-25 who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Short breaks provide children, young people, and their families with opportunities to enjoy extra-curricular activities, respite and space to develop skills beyond their everyday school and home contexts. They aim to strengthen student resilience and family capacity, therefore de-escalating the interventions that might be required for pupils at risk of moving from mainstream to specialist settings, or into care.
(SEND & Alternative Provision Improvement Plan – March 2023)

In Wirral, the Short Breaks model has remained largely the same since 2017, despite the recommendations that were made following the Short Breaks review which took place in 2019. Findings from the review, and feedback from parents/carers, professionals and from young people themselves, indicate that Short Break services in Wirral are not reaching enough children, and that those who need the service the most are not able to access it.

Currently, two external providers are commissioned to deliver Short Breaks across Wirral, however these contracts are due to end on 31st December 2024, with no further options to extend.

As of July 2024, 34.4% of children and young people open to social care have SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities). Of the 766 children who are currently looked after by the Local Authority, 309 of these children have SEND (findings from Power BI). If Short Break services were more accessible in Wirral and reached more of the children and young people who really need them, it may result in the risk of family breakdown reducing, and fewer children ending up in care.

The Children’s Commissioning Team are proposing a new model for Short Breaks, which ensures that the service reaches more children and families; both geographically and across the spectrum of need, improves outcomes for children and families, and prevents potential crisis and family breakdown.

Through dialogue with the Local Authority, we would like providers to advise how they propose to deliver a Short Breaks service, evidencing that they have worked in partnership with families in Wirral. We are open to Short Breaks being delivered by a single provider, multiple providers, or a group of providers working together.

Wirral’s All Age Disability Strategy 2024-2029 has been coproduced with people across Wirral, including people with disabilities, their parents and carers, practitioners, commissioners, volunteers, and other people who work in health and social care. The vision is that people of all ages with disabilities can maximise their potential and live a full and active life. The mission is to work together to realise aspirations, improve access to opportunities and reduce barriers for people of all ages with disabilities in Wirral over the next 5 years.

Continue to commission Short Breaks providers using the current model, however this runs the risk of encountering similar issues – i.e lack of availability, increased risk of family breakdown, more reliance on Willowtree.