Break Time Plus
Break Time Plus provides short break activities and groups for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Eligibility
Break Time Plus is for children and young people who receive short breaks through a child's plan following a Child and Family assessment of need (up to the age of 18) which means they are not eligible for activities and groups funded through Break Time.
How to access Break Time Plus
If you care for an eligible child or young person who you think would benefit from attending or enjoy a Break Time Plus activity or group, talk to the child or young person's allocated worker.
The allocated worker will discuss with you:
- the type of activity or group your child or young person would want to attend
- which provider or providers can offer this and meet your child or young person's needs
- what outcomes the group or activity will support
- how this will be included as part of the support received through the Child's Plan
- agreement of funding arrangements
If your child or young person receives direct payments, but you don’t have an allocated worker, you will make any arrangements for your child or young person to attend Break Time Plus activities directly with the provider.
Find a Break Time Plus provider
Break Time Plus activities and groups will not be suitable for all children, but they were commissioned to offer a different opportunity for children and young people who receive direct payments and commissioned activities.
Paying for Break Time Plus activities and groups
Break Time Plus activities and groups can be funded as part of a child or young person's plan. This includes children and young people who receive direct payments and/or commissioned services to meet assessed needs.
Parents and carers will need to fund any entrance costs or transport fees that may be part of an activity or group.
There will be a minimum parent carer contribution of £2 per hour towards Break Time Plus groups and activities where parent carers (of a child under 16) or the young person (where over 16) does not receive any income or employment related benefits.
Where parent carers (of a child under 16) or a young person (over 16) receive income/employment related benefits they will not need to pay the minimum contribution and this cost will be covered through the child's plan.
Where a child or young person is a looked after young person living in a children's home or with foster carers there is the expectation that the cost of attending an activity or group is covered through any allowances or fees carers receive however, please discuss this further with the child or young person's social worker. Children and young people who are the responsibility of Local Authorities other than Lancashire are also able to attend Break Time Plus activities and groups however funding and commissioning arrangements are the responsibility of that Local Authority and discussions will need to take place directly with Break Time Plus providers.
Where a child or young person is living with parents or carers who share parental responsibility with Lancashire County Council then funding arrangements should be discussed with the child or young person's social worker.
Feedback
We recognise that there are not Break Time Plus activities running in all districts of Lancashire. Lancashire County Council is working closely with short break providers, schools and other organisations to commission as wide a range of Break Time Plus activities and groups as possible across Lancashire. We will update this information when more groups and activities are commissioned or in response to feedback about this information.
If you are a provider, school or other organisation interested in running Break Time Plus activities and groups, please email cyp-shortbreaks@lancashire.gov.uk for more information.