Short Breaks for Children and Young People

This is a contract result notice, not an open opportunity. Details from the official award data.

The procurement contact named on the official notice.

Blackpool Council is seeking to appoint suitable providers to deliver short break services for children and young people who: • have a disability and/or additional needs • are aged between 0-18 years (or 19 while still attending school) • live within the Blackpool Council boundary • require support to access social, play and leisure opportunities.

Short breaks are intended to have positive benefits for both disabled children and young people and their parents and carers.

Short breaks have a dual purpose: 1.

The main aims of short break services are to provide disabled children and young people the opportunity to: - spend time away from their parents and carers - relax and have fun with their friends - develop their independence.

2.

They also give families an opportunity to: - have a break from their caring responsibilities - rest and unwind - spend time with other members of their family.

Short break provision can range from a few hours a week to an allocated number of overnight breaks per year.

Short breaks can include day, evening, overnight and weekend activities and may take place in the child’s own home, the home of an approved short break carer, or a residential or community setting if appropriate.

This can include holiday clubs, weekend clubs, and activity clubs, such as sport of music activities, organised day trips and overnight respite care in a residential facility.

However, for the purposes of this specification overnight respite care is out of scope and won’t be considered as part of this procurement process.

Most users of short breaks are children who have a disability or who have Special Educational Needs, but non-SEND children in need may also receive short breaks if they are deemed as a ‘child in need’.

The breaks usually have two aims: to enable the child to participate in fun, interesting and safe activities; and to provide a break from caring for the family.

The provision of short breaks is considered an essential part of the support provided to families of disabled children and young people.

Free to start. Named contacts come from published notices; the strategy is generated from the buyer’s news, accounts and people.