Short Breaks - Hackney

Description

Corona virus service update 

The Short Breaks Thursday morning and afternoon drop in service at Hackney Learning Trust is closed due to the current situation. If you need to provide evidence or documentation the Short Breaks team are still available to process these and to answer queries Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.

Phone 020 8356 6796 

email Short.Breaks@hackney.gov.uk

Short Breaks offer - COVID 19 temporary changes and flexibility update

Due to the impact of COVID 19, a number of children and young people are not able to access their usual Short Breaks, either because the carer is unavailable, the Short Breaks provider has had to close/cancel their activities or because you are unable to spend your Individual Budget on your prepaid card.

We recognise that some families are now faced with the challenge of keeping their child or young person entertained and occupied during the current period of lockdown.

Due to these current exceptional circumstances we would like to offer families some alternative support to the standard Short Break offer and will be allowing families the opportunity to purchase equipment and toys such as outdoor play equipment, books, arts and craft materials, etc. We hope this measure supports families to sustain supporting the development and stimulation of their children and young people through play and creativity.

Read the full statment on this update here Short Breaks Flexible until December 2020 (Covid update number 5)

What is a Short break? 

Short Breaks are how local authorities perform their duty in the Children's Act 1989 to..."provide, as part of the range of services they provide for families, breaks from caring for carers of disabled children to support them to continue to care for their children at home and to allow them to do so more effectively"

A Short Break allows a disabled young person to have an enjoyable break away from their main carer and gives their carer a break from their caring responsibilities.

In Hackney the Short Break's offer for 2020/21 will be:

• 110 hours full allocation for those who do not get a social care package
• 55 hours for those who get a social care package

OR

• Individual Budget (IB) with the equivalent funding on a Prepaid Card

This can be used flexibly during term time and school holidays at one of our providers or via an Individual Budget.

If you are already in receipt of a social care package, please enquire with the Short Break's team.

*The number of hours offered may go up or down depending upon levels of funding available, levels of demand and the capacity of the services.

More information and documents relating to Hackney's Short Breaks service are can be found in the help and advice article for this service: www.hackneylocaloffer.co.uk/shortbreaks

To help parents with queries and applications Short Breaks run a drop in service:

• Thursday mornings 9:30 am - 12 pm 
• Thursday afternoon 2 pm - 4:30 pm 

Note: There is no one avaliable during the lunch period between 12pm - 2 pm

For more information do go to the website: www.shortbreakshackney.com