Short breaks provide opportunities for disabled children and young people to spend time away from their families and have fun, they also provide respite for families, giving them a break from their caring responsibilities.

Our short breaks statement

Read our short breaks statement (pdf format, 349 KB) to find out what short break support we are providing and what short breaks are available that could work for your child.

Who provides short breaks?

We have commissioned a variety of organisations to provide short breaks for disabled children and their families. Some activities may incur a charge.

To find out more details contact the organisations below:

Autism support

Autism Family Support provides holiday activities, weekend workshops and youth groups for children and young people (8 –18 years) with high functioning Autism/Asperger's. This is available across the county. Tel: 07929 379125/ 01844 338696 or email gita@autism-fs.org.uk.

After school clubs

Barnardo's Community Short Breaks offer after school clubs for disabled children and young people (5-18 years) available in Bicester and Banbury. Tel: 01869 252905 or email lindsey.andersongear@barnardos.org.uk or richard.soper@barnardos.org.uk.

Guideposts Trust provides all year round childcare which includes after school playschemes in Witney, Abingdon and Henley Sonning Common (from 3-19 years). Tel: 01993 899980 or email jkibble@guidepoststrust.org.uk.

Youth groups

Barnardo's Community Short Breaks run youth groups for teenagers (11-18 years). The youth groups are available in term-time in Chinnor, Abingdon, Banbury, Bicester and Wheatley. Tel: 01869 252905 or email lindsey.andersongear@barnardos.org.uk or richard.soper@barnardos.org.uk.

Guideposts Trust provide a youth group in Witney for teenagers (11-18 years) and will be setting up new groups in Autumn 2011 in Abingdon, Eynsham and Banbury. Tel: 01993 899980 or email jkibble@guidepoststrust.org.uk.

Core Children’s Services will be setting up a new youth group in Didcot for teenagers aged (11-18 years) in Autumn 2011. For more information contact Mike Robertson on 01296 628300 or email mike.robertson@thefca.co.uk.

Social coaching

Barnardo’s Community Short Breaks offer a social coaching service offering support to disabled children and young people (5-18 years) who are socially or rurally isolated and have problems getting out and about to undertake activities. that others take for granted. The programme usually covers a 12 week period working with the child or young person and their family to identify opportunities for widening their social horizons, establish the links in the community, support access and work towards withdrawing the support. Tel: 01869 252905 or email lindsey.andersongear@barnardos.org.uk or richard.soper@barnardos.org.uk.

Dimensions will be providing a social coaching scheme from September 2011. For more information contact Dimensions on 0845 1602299 or email buddies@dimensions-uk.org.

Holiday playschemes

Barnardo’s Community Short Breaks provide holiday playschemes for disabled children and young people (5-18 years). They run during the school holiday in Bicester, Banbury and Wheatley five days a week, five hours per day. A new holiday playscheme will be set up in Didcot in Autumn 2011. Tel: 01869 252905 or email  lindsey.andersongear@barnardos.org.uk or richard.soper@barnardos.org.uk

Guideposts Trust provide holiday playschemes as part of their all year round childcare in Witney, Abingdon and Sonning Common and will be starting a new service in Wheatley in Autumn 2011. The service support children and young people 3-19 years. Tel: 01993 899980 or email jkibble@guidepoststrust.org.uk.

Teenage holiday activities 

The Parasol Project provides various teenage activities in the central areas of Oxford for teenagers up to 18 years. Tel: 01865 742816 or email Dan Norey on parasol.project@virgin.net

The Let’s Play Project provides a variety of holiday and after school activities in Banbury from their base ‘The Hub’ at St Mary’s School. Tel 01295 263694 or email Deb Palmer on deb@letsplaybanbury.org.

Residential holidays

Barnardo's Community Short Breaks provide residential holidays which can only be accessed via a referral from a social worker in the Children and Families Disability Teams. Places are very limited and are intended for children and young people from 10 years with a range of support needs. Tel: 01869 252905 or email lindsey.andersongear@barnardos.org.uk or richard.soper@barnardos.org.uk

Dimensions will be providing a number of residential holidays from Autumn 2011. This is a referral only service requiring a referral from a social worker in the Children and Families Disability Teams. For more information please contact Kay Willis, Disability Services Development Manager, on 01865 894866 or email kay.willis@oxfordshire.gov.uk

The Parasol Project provides residential holidays for disabled young people from 10 years from Oxfordshire. Tel: 01865 742816 or email Dan Norey on parasol.project@virgin.net.

Finding activities

Search online for local activities using the parents.info website.

Children attending special schools

Out of School Liaison Officers (OSLOs) can help you to find out of school and short break activities for your child. Contact your child's special schools for further details.

Children attending a mainstream school

The Accessible Childcare Information Officer is based in the Oxfordshire Family Information Service and can help you find out of school and short break activities for your child. Contact the Family Information Service for further details.

Funding

Short Breaks Inclusion Support Scheme and Short Breaks Transport Scheme

If you need help paying for transport, fees or extra support to access activities, funding is available through the Short Breaks Inclusion Support Scheme and Short Breaks Transport Scheme. 

Who can apply

Funding can only be accessed by those economically disadvantaged and/or vulnerable disabled children and young people aged 5-17 years. 

How to apply

Application for this funding can only be made by Out of School Liaison Officers (OSLOs), Children's Disability Social Workers or the Accessible Childcare Information Officer based at the Oxfordshire Family Information Service.

Short Breaks Small Grant Programme

The aim of this funding is to support voluntary and statutory organisations to set up small projects or activities to support disabled children, young people and their families.

Short breaks enable parents and carers to do day to day activities, have time for themselves and the rest of the family and are therefore less likely to need access to crisis support.

For more information read the guidance document (pdf format, 333Kb). To apply complete the Small Grant Application Form (pdf format, 336Kb) and email Shipping Requestliz.cundy@oxfordshire.gov.uk and copy Shipping Requestjo.roberts@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) families

Our cultural parenting projects are currently under review and in the process of being  commissioned. For more information contact Kay Willis, Disability Services Development Manager on 01865 894866 or email kay.willis@oxfordshire.gov.uk.