Wirral Council is asking parents, carers and young people for their views on the short breaks service we provide so we can review the service and see how it could be shaped for the future.
This will be an opportunity for commissioners, providers (internal and external to the council), schools, children, young people and parent/carers to come together and review short breaks in Wirral.
This questionnaire is Part 1 to find out your views about the short breaks that are currently available. Part 2 will follow in October 2017 when we will ask you for your opinion about what could be different in the future.
It should take you about 10 minutes to complete this survey.
Here is some information that may help you fill in the survey.
What is a short break?
Short breaks provide children with special educational needs and disabilities the opportunity to develop friendship groups and grow their independence skills. It also provides an opportunity for the primary carer to have a break. Short breaks are activities that take place during the day, evening, overnight or weekend activities and can be in the child’s own home, the home of an approved carer, a residential or community setting.
What are direct payments and personal budgets?
Direct payments and personal budgets are offered by the local authority to give children, young people and families more flexibility over how their care and support is arranged and provided. They are given to both people with care and support needs, and also to carers.
What you tell us in this survey will help us:
Find out your views on short breaks for children and young people.
Find out how current services support young people’s independence and look at options for the future, which will give more choice to young people and their families.
Increasing choice through individual planning and personal budgets.
Ensure that services support children and young people’s journey into adulthood.
Identify where there are gaps in services, according to what children and young people need and where they live.
Identify services that may be required in the future.
How services can support children and young people.
Review the short break eligibility process and linking it to levels of assessment and need.
Look at how families access information about short breaks.