Short breaks inaccessible to severely disabled

The Aiming High for Disabled Children document - instigated by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Children's Secretary Ed Balls - found that short breaks were the highest priority service for families with disabled children. Short breaks give parents much-needed respite and provide disabled children with enjoyable experiences away from home.

Over the past year, 21 pathfinder local authorities have been testing the best way to provide short breaks after receiving the bulk of the funding for the first year of the three-year investment for all councils.

But a study by campaign group Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) shows that, while some good models of practice are emerging, the investment has not yet produced a consistent service to all disabled children, particularly those with the most complex needs.

EDCM board member Brian Lamb said: "There is clearly a need for stronger and more strategic leadership in every area to ensure full delivery of the programme, as well as a focus on information provision and transparency in the way services are allocated."

EDCM's study, which followed two pathfinder and two non-pathfinder authorities, says local children's trust partnerships should be taking a stronger leadership role on short breaks.

It also states that local authorities need to review their eligibility criteria and ensure good-quality information is available from a wide range of sources.

Lesley Campbell, national children's officer at the learning disability charity Mencap, said: "We are already into the main stage of the programme where large amounts of money are going to all local authorities. Unless authorities can demonstrate they have done a proper assessment, showing gaps in provision, and have a clear delivery plan it will be like throwing money away."

A recent report by Mencap, Still at Breaking Point, found a lack of progress since its 2006 Breaking Point campaign in 2006, which found 80 per cent of families with severely disabled children described themselves as at, or close to, breaking point.

Its new report follows the lives of seven families with a child with learning disabilities living in a pathfinder area. It states that parents have not seen an increase in their package of support.

The report calls for the government to challenge children's trusts to ensure funding reaches families in need. It states: "These services need to offer a real break for parents and an enjoyable experience for the child. In order to achieve this, families must be engaged in a meaningful way in plans to develop breaks in their area."