Since April 2011, local authorities have been under a duty to provide a range of short breaks services for disabled children, young people and their families. The new short breaks duty aims to improve and expand short break services, ensuring a wide range of high quality opportunities and providing positive life experiences for children and young people, as well as a break for their parents and carers.
A key part of the short breaks duty is the requirement for all local authorities to prepare a short breaks duty statement, providing details of the local range of services; how services are responding to the needs of local carers; and how services can be accessed, including any eligibility criteria. Local authorities are required to publish statements on their websites and to review them on a regular basis. They must also consider the needs of local parents and carers when preparing and revising their statements.
Over £800 million in non ring-fenced grants is being provided to local authorities for the provision of short breaks between 2011-12 and 2014-15.
In addition, £40 million of capital funding has been made available to local authorities in 2012-13, in a repeat of last year's award. Further information about this year's capital allocations for short breaks can be found in Short Breaks FAQs and in the 2012-13 Short Breaks for Disabled Children Grant Determination letter.
