A year ago, 21 local authority pathfinders were given the bulk of the funding for the first year of a £370m three-year investment to transform short-break provision for disabled children and their families.
For the past 12 months, these authorities have been testing the best ways to provide short breaks, with the aim of giving children valuable experiences, as well as providing parents with breaks from caring.
The government's Aiming High for Disabled Children review found short breaks were the highest priority service for families with disabled children, so has the extra funding helped local authorities improve their provision?
Alison Cathles, project manager at the Gloucestershire pathfinder, says the extra money has allowed the authority to increase the range of short breaks available. She says: "It has also helped to increase flexibility, so short breaks can be tailored to individual needs, and to increase the number of children and families receiving a short break."
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