Short breaks provision saves £174m

By Neil Puffett Tuesday, 09 February 2010

Savings of £174m a year can be made if the government maintains short break funding for disabled children and their families beyond 2011, a report has claimed.

Young woman playing tennis on a short break. Credit: Gloucestershire County Council

Commissioned by Action for Children and the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign, The Social and Economic Value of Short Breaks assesses long-term savings that can be achieved if the delivery of respite care is continued.

Services for disabled children are currently funded through the government's Aiming High For Disabled Children (AHDC) programme until 2011.

Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems have committed themselves to continuing AHDC, although they have not confirmed whether funding will be protected amid predicted public sector cuts.

The study, produced by the New Economics Foundation, calculates £135m could be saved from spending on long-term residential care, by reducing the number of disabled children placed outside of the family home because parents are unable to cope with the challenges of caring for them.

Reducing the need for health services to treat the stress of parents, families and carers could save another £18m.

Meanwhile, a further £21m could be saved if schools don't have to educate siblings of disabled children with behavioural and emotional difficulties.

Christine Lenehan, director at the Council for Disabled Children and EDCM board member, said: "In the run up to the election, we are calling upon all political parties to make it clear that they would protect funding for the frontline services that AHDC has created."

The report comes as the government launches its consultation of draft regulations, and associated statutory guidance, for local authority short break provision.

It proposes that all local authorities should be required to provide short break services for parents who care for disabled children.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said: "It is vital that parents and carers of disabled children are offered the opportunity, if they wish, to take a short break from their caring responsibilities. "Short breaks also give disabled children and young people the opportunity to access and experience fun new activities, to mix and socialise, and to gain a sense of independence."
He also announced an additional £1m funding will be made available to provide more short breaks for families with disabled children this year.