Support to families with disabled children and young people

Early Years Inclusion Support Scheme

The Early Years Inclusion Support Scheme can provide short term funding to help a disabled child (aged under five) to take part in play, childcare or leisure activities within mainstream settings.

Inclusion Support Scheme (Short Break) funding and Short Break Transport Scheme

Inclusion Support Scheme (short breaks) and the Short Breaks Transport Scheme may be available if you need help paying for transport, fees or extra support to access activities. 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.

Short Break Enabler Support Scheme

The Enabler Support Scheme is to promote inclusion and remove the barriers to play, childcare and leisure for disabled children and young people.

Provision that is inclusive of all children will have priority particularly when they are requesting:

• support for children and young people to attend more local mainstream settings
• support for teenagers in preparing to move into adulthood
• support for Early Years children
• support for working families to access childcare for children and young people
• any other enabler situation that meets the criteria. 

Max Card - discount scheme

The Max Card is a discount card for families of disabled children and children with additional needs. Families simply show their Max Card upon entry to a venue  to obtain free or discounted admission.

It is designed to help families save money on great days out at castles, zoos, bowling alleys and lots more.

The Max card is free to families in Oxfordshire -  it has been funded by Oxfordshire County Council working in partnership with Action for Carers Oxfordshire.

To register, please go to the Carers Oxfordshire webpage.

Please visit www.mymaxcard.co.uk, where you can see a full break down of available attractions in Oxfordshire and across the country.

Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum

Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum is a forum for parents of disabled children and those with SEN and additional needs in Oxfordshire.

They consult and gather views from parents and carers, groups and individuals, on the services available to children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities and their families.

This information is shared with us and other agencies to help them design and deliver services that meet local needs.

Some groups and forums offer support to parents of children with a specific difficulty or diagnosis, such as OASIS for parents of children with autistic spectrum conditions.

Others provide support to parents whose children may have a variety of special educational needs or disabilities, such as SHIFT and SPACE. They give parents and carers support and the opportunity to talk through the day-to-day demands of being a parent of a child with additional needs.

The Family Information Service

The Oxfordshire Family Information Service (FIS) also provides details of local support groups. Contact FIS.

The Sensory Impairment Team

The Sensory Impairment Team works with Oxfordshire children who have a hearing loss, visual loss or both. Teams offer a wide range of support including social work, habilitation, mobility training, adaptive equipment assessments, information and advice.

Integrated Children’s Services

Integrated Children’s Services provide support to parents and carers through the new Family Solutions Service (FSS) which is based in and delivering services from Children and Family Centres.   

There are additional centres operating in the community.

Oxfordshire’s Short Breaks Statement

The Short Breaks Statement (pdf format, 1.4 Mb) contains information on what short break support is being provided in Oxfordshire and what short breaks are available that could work for your child.

Children's social care

Referrals for support for children's social care from parents or members of the public are managed by the MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub). This multi-agency hub of social care, health and police shares information to make sure children and families receive the most appropriate support.

The MASH team may signpost to other sources of support; it will also decide which social work team should assess the child and family circumstances. After this assessment, longer term support may be provided by a different social work team.

Referrals can be made by parents by contacting MASH on 0345 050 7666.

Professionals who are working with families should have completed an Early Help Assessment and should be working with the families using a Team around the Family approach.

If the professional feels more help is needed they can refer to the Locality and Community Support Service (LCSS) and will ask the parent's permission to do this. 

Children and family centres

Children and family centres support vulnerable families. Staff will work closely with partner agencies to provide a range of services such as stay, play and learn; youth sessions, parenting programmes, support to families, school readiness, access to education, employment and training.

There are additional centres operating in the community.