Short breaks for children and young people with SEND (0-18 years)

What is a direct payment?

A direct payment is money that we can pay to you if your child is eligible to receive care and support from us.

Following an assessment, we will discuss with you what support you require to meet your child's needs and the amount of money required to meet those needs.

Find out more by downloading and reading our direct payments guide (PDF - 348.19 KB) for parents and carers of children and young people who have disabilities. 

What is a personal budget?

Personal budget is an amount of money that can come from education, health and social care which families can spend on services and support which will be based on the assessed needs of your child/ young person. It is not the sum total of all the resources that are available to support your child.

Find out more about by reading the parent's guide to personal budgets for children and young people (PDF - 299.07 KB) with EHC plans.

Agency support

The children's disability team make referrals to our central placement team who complete searches to agencies for  personal assistants to meet an identified need. The agencies employ personal assistants to support children and young people with disabilities, either in the family home or taking the child out in the community.

Need more help? Find out who to talk to

Contact the Information, Advice and Support Service for free, impartial information, advice and support for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Support is also offered to children and young people with SEND. They can also help provide information in a non web format.