Community activities and Short Breaks

Fun, leisure and social activities outside the school day for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Universal and community offer

All families are encouraged to look at the community offer to see what is available to them.

More information is available from:

Disability Register and Max Card

We collect information about children and young people aged 0 to 25 with SEND to help plan and deliver services. The register is run by the Library Service.

The benefits of registering include a Max Card offering discounts on attractions and activities nationwide and regular e-newsletters with information about activities.

Find out more and register at West Sussex Disability Register.

The Short Breaks offer and how to sign-up

Short Breaks are clubs and activities tailored to the support needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Short breaks include:

  • after-school clubs and activities
  • holiday playschemes
  • youth clubs
  • drama groups
  • accessible sports activities
  • activities for the whole family to enjoy together

Short Breaks are very popular with families and many have waiting lists.

We encourage families to sign-up early by contacting their chosen suppliers directly. Suppliers will be able to give you details of their waiting lists.

You can register with more than one supplier. There is no limit to the number of Short Breaks your child or young person can take part in.

Many providers also have Facebook pages and other ways that you can receive support and information while you are waiting.

Eligibility criteria

Short Breaks are available for children and young people aged 0 to 18 years old who live in West Sussex and are in receipt of either the middle or high-care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or the standard or enhanced rate of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or have equivalent needs.

If you are not sure if you meet the criteria, you can get advice by emailing shortbreaks@westsussex.gov.uk.

Benefits of Short Breaks for your child or young person

Short Breaks enable a child or young person to try new experiences, both with and away from their siblings and parent carers. They provide the opportunity to learn new skills, develop their confidence and have fun!

Benefits of Short Breaks for you

You can feel confident that your child or young person is safe and having fun with staff who are able to support them well, providing you with a break from caring responsibilities.

You may have opportunities to build friendships with other families who share similar experiences and you can relax knowing that you and your family are in a safe and inclusive space.

Short Breaks costs

Activities will cost around the same as an equivalent activity for any child or young person. All additional costs, such as 1:1 support or equipment to do the activity are funded through the Short Breaks programme.

Parent carers can expect to pay around £5 per hour for a short session and around £30 for a day, however this varies depending on the activities and supplier.

Short Breaks suppliers and locations

We fund a range of organisations to provide Short Breaks services across the county. We check the suitability of all Short Breaks suppliers. They must have qualified, skilled, and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked staff who commit to ongoing training.
All organisations must maintain appropriate registration and quality standards.

The different types of Short Breaks are:

Family activities

Families attend with their children and young people.

Recreational activities for children and young people

Also known as ‘respite’, when the young person with SEND attends without their parent carers.

Go to map view on the pages below to see where each group of Short Breaks providers are based.

Short Breaks statement and Facebook group

The Short Breaks service statement sets out some services offered by West Sussex County Council. It tells you what we offer children and young people with additional needs and disabilities and how to access the service.

For more information about how we involve families in developing the Short Breaks programme, see our Short Breaks statement.

Contact us

If you have any comments or views, email shortbreaks@westsussex.gov.uk.

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