Who can get Short Breaks and how to apply

Parent carers with parental responsibility can apply for Short Breaks for children and young people who:

• Live in Norfolk, and
• Are aged 5-17-years-old, and
• Have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is defined as 'a physical or mental impairment that is substantial and has a long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily tasks' Equality Act 2010.

Your child does not need an education, health and care plan (EHCP) to be eligible for Short Breaks.

Currently, we do not provide Short Breaks for children under 5-years-old. You can apply for Short Breaks on your child's fifth birthday but we cannot accept applications before this. If your child has exceptional needs, a professional can refer you for family support and a social work assessment. Please be aware this would be a referral for you as a family. It will not lead to a referral for Short Breaks.

How to apply  

We aim to make an initial decision on your child's eligibility for the Short Breaks service within two weeks of application.

If you are not eligible, we will let you know by post or email. If you are eligible, we will contact you as soon as a team member is available to work with you to set up your child's Short Breaks plan.

Supporting evidence 

You must provide at least: 

• Two detailed assessment reports from professionals working with your child when you apply, and
• One document must show your child's educational needs 

All evidence must be as recent as possible, ideally dated within the last 12 months. It must show the impact that your child's disability has on their everyday life and family life.

Examples of supporting evidence documents include: 

• Education, health and care plan (EHCP) or EHCP Annual Review 
• Educational psychology assessment report 
• ASD/ADHD assessment report
• Healthcare plan 
• Paediatric assessment report
• School report
• Home education assessment report 
• Speech and language assessment report
• Physiotherapy assessment report 

We do not accept:

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) award letter
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award letter
• Waiting list or referral letters, which do not contain information on the impact of your child's disability
• Prescriptions

Please speak to the Short Breaks team before applying, if you are not sure your evidence shows the impact of your child's disability.

Apply for Short Breaks online

Need help?

You can always ask someone who knows your child well to help you complete the online application form. You can also contact the Short Breaks team to help with your application.