Short Breaks for Disabled Children

Tender description

Cheshire East Council is seeking to commission a number of providers to deliver short breaks for carers of disabled children, forming a continuum of services as part of the ‘Cheshire East Local Offer’. Short breaks focus on early intervention and prevention, supporting the development of innovative solutions to best meet the needs of children in need and their families. Interventions should be designed to promote independence, life skills and improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and their families, preventing the escalation of needs thereby reducing demand on social care and health services. Short breaks come in all shapes and sizes, each one can last from a few hours to a few days – from daytime and evenings to weekend and activities, they provide disabled children and young people with: • Positive and safe things to do and places to go • The opportunity to spend time with friends, to develop personally and socially, and reduce isolation • The chance to undertake new activities and have new experiences They can take place in a community setting, the child’s own home, the home of an approved carer or in a residential setting. They provide parents and families of disabled children and young people with a necessary and valuable break from their caring responsibilities. Lot 1: The Council is looking to commission a range of short breaks for disabled children (aged 0 to 18) and their families who are resident in Cheshire East, in various settings and of various lengths ranging from a couple of hours to a half/full day session, provided after school, at weekends and in school holidays. All services will be operational from the 1st June 2021; the providers will be expected to deliver a range of activities for a range of disabilities and ages, including: • Regular activities weekly, fortnightly or monthly during term time and/or school holidays. Offered during weekends, after school and/or in school holidays • Provide services that enable children to enjoy a range of experiences that help prevent needs from increasing and more specialist services becoming necessary. • Offer creative, educational, fun and positive activities to promote well being and independence • Provide a safe and stimulating environment for children to play, learn and develop freely, either within the community or at suitable venues in the borough • Provide opportunities for children and young people away from their primary carers • Offer inclusive services at a time to suit, that are flexible to meet individual circumstances, therefore being accessible to all • Examples of this provision include, but are not limited to: group based social or youth clubs, sports and activity sessions, drama and arts classes, residential breaks, social and educational skills groups and 1:1 support • 1:1 support for disabled children and young people to access local community based universal social and leisure activities that they would not otherwise be able to participate in. Examples of this type of support include supported activities in universal settings, ‘Buddy’ schemes • Respond to individual needs and overcome barriers for access This opportunity is an Open Procedure under the Light Touch Regime