Short breaks grant
Please read this guidance before making an application for the non-assessed short breaks grant.
A short break
Children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) often need more care than those without.
South Tyneside Council and South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group recognises the important role that families play in providing care for children and young people with SEND.
We know that this full time role means that you may require extra support to do this and enjoy the same activities and experiences as other families do.
A short break from a caring role can be a lifeline for some families.
It can provide you with the opportunity to take a step back from caring responsibilities and allow your child to try new / different experiences.
A short break may be for an hour, a day, overnight or several days.
For some children and young people this may take place away from their family in a community setting, or within the family group.
In most circumstances it would be accessing specialist activities or having additional support for the child / young person whilst accessing a universal opportunity.
Short break guidance
Guidance issued by the Department for Education in 2010 states that:
'For relatively low levels of short breaks provision, an assessment provided or commissioned by the Local Authority will often not be necessary. An authority may provide some short break provision for disabled children who have been assessed through other processes, for example, access to existing local health or educational facility, receipt of higher level Disability Living Allowance or locally agreed criteria'.
In recognition to the guidance issued from the Department for Education and the feedback given from parents and carers, South Tyneside Council have available to parents and carers of children with SEND, a pilot scheme that provides funds towards the cost of activities that they can apply for through the 'Short Break Grant'.
Applications come direct from parents or carers and no formal assessment of need is required.
There is, however, an eligibility criterion that has been developed following consultation with South Tyneside Parent Carer Forum for access and the limitations of what the grant can be used for.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the grant, you must meet all of the criteria from section A and one or more of the criteria from Section B.
Section A
- You must not have accessed an assessed short break provided by South Tyneside Council or South Tyneside CCG in the last 12 months. This includes overnight care or direct payment
- The child / young person you care for is aged between 4 to17 years at the time of application
- The child / young person lives with you full time
- Your application has been submitted before closing on the 30 April at 12noon
- You have not had a successful application in this period
Section B
- You care for a disabled child who receives a higher level Disability Living Allowance in either care or mobility components
- You care for a young person who is in receipt of an Enhanced Personal Independent Payment (PIP)
- You care for a child or young person who is subject to an Education Health & Care Plan
You must provide proof of Section B entitlement when applying for the grant, this can be either a scan or photo of the award letter or front.
All evidence must be dated within 12 months of the application, and the evidence must be valid at the time.
Making an application
The grant period is from 9am on Monday 20 June 2022 to 20 December 2022.
The maximum amount that can be collectively awarded per family in this period is no more than £300.
We anticipate the grant to be beneficial to a large number of families, and applications will be approved in order of receipt.
Therefore, we encourage all eligible families to apply promptly with all correct information attached.
You should carefully consider the Short Breaks Grant Offer and your eligibility to apply.
The Short Breaks Grant is a limited fund and South Tyneside Council reserves the right to close the scheme if the available budget is exhausted.
Within the application, there are number of options that you can choose from.
There are restrictions on the maximum amount that you can use with some of the options (detailed in the application form).
You can select a combination of the different types of short breaks listed. There is no restriction on the number of combinations that you can make.
Submit your application
Applications can by made by completing the short breaks grant application form.
Applications should be sent via email to SENDLocalOffer@southtyneside.gov.uk along with evidence.
Applications can be made from 9am on Monday 20 june 2022 to 12noon on 20 December 2022.
Applications made before or after this time will not be accepted.
We will notify you of receipt by email. Please make sure that the email address provided is correct.
If you are unable to return the application via email, please contact the SEND Local Offer and they may be able to assist.
Email: Sendlocaloffer@southtyneside.gov.uk
Telephone: 0191 424 7778 / 0191 424 7299
After your application has been received
Once eligibility has been confirmed, the request will be processed and forwarded to the decision maker.
They will determine the outcome and the amount awarded.
You will receive a decision via email with details of the award.
Please note, any funds received can only be used on the short break that it has been awarded for.
We aim to process your application within 14 working days from receipt of your application.
If this will be longer, we will notify you.
Fair access
South Tyneside Council aims to be open and fair in the way we apply the eligibility for access to the short breaks grant and the decision making process.
Each application will be responded to consistently by applying the decision screening at the time of processing the application.
If you are not eligible or not successful in your application, we will respond to the applicant via email.
All decisions are final and there is no appeals process.
However, if you have any questions or queries about the offer, we will always attempt to resolve any issues through conversations with a member of team.
In the first instance contact the SEND Local Offer:
Email: Sendlocaloffer@southtyneside.gov.uk
Telephone: 0191 424 7778 / 0191 424 7299
If we are unable to resolve matters with you, you can make a complaint through South Tyneside Council's Complaint Process.
We hope that families are satisfied with the service provided and that eligible families enjoy their awarded grant.
How you will be paid
Payment will be made via directly via BACS.
Please make sure that you provide the correct bank details when completing the application.
Receipts
You are responsible for providing all receipts and proof of purchase for any spent money. This must be submitted within 2 weeks of purchase.
Receipts that are not related to the award application will not be accepted.
This grant is a pilot. If the grant continues in the future and any spent money has not been appropriately accounted for you will not be eligible to apply again.
Receipts will only be accepted digitally. You can take a photo and submit via email to:
Sendlocaloffer@southtyneside.gov.uk
Terms and conditions
Before submitting an application, please make sure that you have read and fully understand the following terms and conditions.
- I will only purchase products or book activities that are specified in my application that have been successfully awarded.
- I will not purchase products or book any activities I intend to use the Grant for before receiving confirmation that my award has been successful .
- I understand that if the Grant is used for any purpose other than as agreed in the application, South Tyneside Council have a right to request the funds be returned.
- I agree I will provide South Tyneside Council with relevant receipts within 2 weeks of the money being spent. Receipts to be emailed to sendlocaloffer@southtyneside.gov.uk.
- I understand if I fail to do so this will affect any future applications.
- I agree to complete a short questionnaire to contribute to the ongoing monitoring of the Short Breaks Grant.
- I understand that I am responsible for ensuring the safety and welfare of my child during any Short Break funded through this Grant, including those online that are funded through this Grant - Children's Commissioner: Digital safety and wellbeing kit.
- I understand that the Grant cannot be used for any activity during school or college time.
The short breaks grant offer
Following consultation with South Tyneside Parent Carer Forum we are pleased to offer eligible children, young people and their families the following:
A combination of any of the following can be used up to a maximum of £300.
We may contact you to discuss any requested items if they are restricted as part of the conditions and limitations.
If the item of activity you are purchasing / accessing is more than the available amount, it is acceptable to make a personal contribution to this.
For example:
- Lego set = £100.
- Cost from Grant = £75
- Personal contribution = £25
| Type of short break | Examples of how the grant can be spent | Conditions and limitations | Amount is limited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment: Creativity | Crafting materials such as pens, paper, paints, brushes, playdough, clay, printer ink | This does not include large electrical items such as printers, cutting machines (CriCut) | £75 |
| Baking equipment such as pots, pans, utensils, decorating tools, aprons, small electrical items such as hand whisk, mini chopper | This does not include large electrical items such as microwaves, ovens, stand mixers | ||
| Imaginary, construction and learning such as Lego, dress up, books, role play, board games, books | N/A | ||
| Equipment: Specialist | Sensory toys such as LED lights, fidget toys, sensory boards, sand Musical instruments, lessons | This is list is not exhaustive, but items must be sensory based This does not include furniture or carpets | £300 |
Contribution to or complete cost of adapted equipment such as a bike / trike Purchase / hire / loan of equipment for activities such as ice skates, riding hat | South Tyneside Council is not responsible for the installation or risk assessment for the use of any equipment that parents or carers purchase using the grant Parents and carers are fully responsible for the supervision of children whilst using the equipment | ||
| Equipment: General | Electrical items such as table, iPad, laptop, headphones, games console, game app | A contribution of no more that 50% toward one large item where the item is more than £50 This does not include televisions, mobile phones, portable hot tubs, garden furniture, swimming pools South Tyneside Council is not responsible for the installation or risk assessment for the use of any equipment that parents or carers purchase using the grant Parents and Carers are fully responsible for the supervision of children whilst using the equipment | £200 |
| Outdoor equipment such as scooters, trampolines, garden games, sand pit, paddling pool | |||
| Subscriptions | Entertainment: Music subscriptions for the child / young person such as Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer Tv subscriptions such as Disney +, Amazon Prime, Netflix Game subscriptions such as PlayStation Plus, Xbox Gold, Nintendo Online, Apple Arcade | Subscriptions must be age appropriate. It is the responsibility of the parents and carers to monitor what children and young people are accessing online and ensure that they are safeguarded online
| £75 |
| Online learning activities such as music tutoring, exercise classes, dance lessons | Subscriptions cannot be used for core education tutoring such as maths, English | ||
| Activities: Specialist | The cost of any specialist activity session This may include universal activities that have an additional cost to make accessible for the child or young person such as 1:1 lessons for swimming or horse riding | This does not include travel to or from the activity This does not include any costs associated with the activity such as spending money, food This does not include activities that would normally be delivered 1:1 basis regardless of a child's abilities Equipment required for the activity can be applied for within the specialist equipment element | £300 |
| Activities: Universal | Admission cost for the child to universal activities being accessed with a carer such as swimming, cinema, trampolining Family ticket to the activity of their choice such as a theme park, Beamish, exhibitions Annual Memberships or season passes to organisations such as the National Trust Membership/Subs to sports activity clubs such as football, judo, karate, trampolining | This does not include travel to or from the activity, ot any costs associated with the activity such as spending money, food | £150 |
| Unpaid carer costs | Cost of ticket/entrance for an individual that is providing the family with additional support whilst on a family activity | This does not include travel to or from the activity This does not include any costs associated with the activity such as spending money, food Lots of organisation now offer free carer places for disabled people. Where a free carer is permitted this must be used on the additional carer. | £75 |
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