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.
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.
The Parasol Project provides an inclusive after school club for children (5-13 years) at Tower Playbase on the Northway estate in Oxford. Contact Angela Taylor on 01865 742816 or email parasol.project@virgin.net.
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.
Guideposts Trust provide youth groups in Witney, Abingdon, Eynsham and Banbury for teenagers (11-18 years). Tel: 01993 899980 or email jkibble@guidepoststrust.org.uk.
Core Assets’s Children's Services run the Club @ The Hub; a youth group in Didcot for teenagers aged (11-18 years) on Wednesday evenings during term time. For more information contact Ben Sladden on 01296 628300 or email ben.sladden@coreassets.com
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.
Dimensions Buddies provides specialist support tailored to reaching the goals of your child or young person in their community. We offer a service to disabled children and young people up to 18 years old. Our Buddies work closely with children, young people and their families to support them both in the home and out and about in the community across a 12 week period, helping them make new friends and try new experiences, become more involved in social activities, and build and maintain relationships with their peers. We work towards achieving their goals and avoid stressful situations. The flexible nature of support means that you will have help when required.
Details: 12 weeks support for up to 5 hours a week. Open referral.
Contact: Tel: 0845 160 2299 or Alex.Brunt@dimensions-uk.org
www.dimensions-buddies.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.
Guideposts Trust provide holiday playschemes as part of their all year round childcare in Witney, Abingdon, Wheatley and Sonning Common. 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. It also offers opportunities for older teenagers and young adults to volunteer to support others in these activities. 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.
Yellow Submarine provide teenage holiday activities. Yellow Submarine Respite runs activities for 11-18 year olds in West Oxfordshire during the school holidays. On Tuesdays and Saturdays we have ‘explore days’, visiting local attractions chosen by the young people themselves. On Thursdays we have ‘activity days’ run in conjunction with Nexus at the Windrush Leisure Centre, giving young people a chance to swim, play football and use the gym. Tel: 01865 249662 or email caroline@yellowsubmarine.org.uk Website: www.yellowsubmarine.org.uk
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.
Dimensions Buddies provide residential holidays which can only be accessed via a referral from a social worker in the Children and Families Disability Teams. Places are limited and are intended for children and young people from 14-18 years old with a range of support needs.
It runs 5 days 4 nights and you can contact 0845 160 2299 or email Alex.Brunt@dimensions-uk.org
More details at dimensions-buddies.org
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.
Yellow Submarine Respite provides residential trips in each of the school holidays aimed at 11-18 year olds with a learning disability living in Oxfordshire. Tel: 01865 249 662 or email caroline@yellowsubmarine.org.uk Website: www.yellowsubmarine.org.uk
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.
Youth Activities
To find information on things to do and places to go near you for children and young people living in Oxfordshire go to Activities Oxfordshire.
Funding
Short Breaks Funding and Short Breaks Transport Scheme
If you need help paying for transport, fees or extra support to access activities, funding is available through Short Breaks Funding and the Short Breaks Transport Scheme. For more details on background and success of the project read our evaluation report on the 2012-13 Short Breaks Inclusion and Transport Funding Scheme (pdf format, 776Kb).
Who can apply
Funding can only be accessed by families on low income/benefits with disabled children aged 5-17 years. The priority for this scheme is to support access to out-of-school activities and/or holiday activities.
How to apply
Applications 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. Examples of the projects we funded in 2012-13 is set out in the summary of the Short Breaks Small Grant Programme 2012/13 (pdf format, 125Kb).
For more information and to apply for a Short Breaks Small Grant. Please read and complete the 2013/14 Small Grant Application Form (pdf format, 336Kb) and email liz.cundy@oxfordshire.gov.uk and copy jo.roberts@oxfordshire.gov.uk.
More information on funding for Youth Projects can be found on the Oxcentric website.
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) families
Core Asset's Children’s Services provides ‘Small Steps, Big Strides’ – a support group for Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) families with disabled children and young people. The group is available to families living in Oxfordshire who have a child with a physical or learning disability as well as those with complex needs such as Autism. Our support group also enables families to access additional services within their community. Provide cultural parenting projects across Oxfordshire. For more information please contact our Options Team on 01296 628300 or ben.sladden@coreassets.com
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