Short breaks for disabled children and young people
Fun, safe time out for disabled children and young people, and a proper break for the people who care for them.
Please don't include detailed medical information in a first email. We'll arrange a secure way to share it.
About this service
A short break should be something a child looks forward to. Our support workers take children and young people out to do what they enjoy, from parks, swimming and soft play to clubs, cafes and days out, with support that fits their needs and their pace.
For parents and carers, a short break is time to rest, spend time with brothers and sisters or simply get things done, knowing their child is with someone who knows them.
We provide short breaks in the community, after school, at weekends and in the holidays. A paramedic leads every package and is on call whenever our staff are working, and you get a record of every session.
What this looks like
- After-school, weekend and holiday sessions
- Activities chosen with the child and their family
- The same small team, so the child knows who is coming
- Support for children with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs
- A short record after every session
Who refers
Children's disability teams, short breaks teams, social workers and families using direct payments or a personal budget refer to us.
How support is funded
Support can be funded by local authorities, the NHS (including continuing healthcare and personal health budgets), schools and SEND teams, direct payments, and families paying privately. Paying for care
Why teams use us
Support you can rely on, led by a clinician, with records you can see.
Clinical leadership
A paramedic leads safeguarding, risk and escalation, and is on call whenever our staff are working.
Records you can rely on
Every shift, incident and concern is recorded digitally, with progress summaries for the people who commission the support.
One provider, children to adults
We support children, young people and adults, from 14 to 25 and beyond, so there is no hand-off at 18.
Safer recruitment
Enhanced DBS with barred list checks on the Update Service, references, and an induction before any shift.
How it works
From referral to the first shift, with everything agreed in writing.
Refer
Tell us about the person, the support and the hours, using the referral form or by email.
Screen
We review every referral the same working day and come back to you with questions or next steps.
Confirm in writing
We agree the support, the staff and the start date with you in writing before anything begins.
Report
You get records of every shift and regular progress summaries, and we flag concerns straight away.
Common questions
Are short breaks at our home or out in the community?
Short breaks are mostly out in the community, starting and finishing at home. We do not provide overnight short breaks or residential care.
Can we use direct payments for short breaks?
Yes. Many families pay for short breaks with direct payments or a personal budget. We can also work directly with your local authority.
Will my child have the same support worker?
We aim for a small, consistent team for each child, introduced before their first session, so they see familiar faces.
See also: Alternative education support
Related support
Support work
Support for children, young people and adults with complex needs, at home and in the community.
Find out more about support workFamily support and supervised contact
Practical family support and supervised contact, recorded properly.
Find out more about family support and supervised contactTransition support (14 to 25)
Support for young people aged 14 to 25 moving into adulthood and adult services.
Find out more about transition support (14 to 25)Make a referral.
Tell us about the person and the support they need. We review every referral the same working day.
Or email referrals@eviqa.health, or call 01626 717587. Please don't include detailed medical information in a first email. We'll arrange a secure way to share it.