New grants will boost short breaks for children and young people with disabilities in Wirral

An innovative new grants programme will allow more organisations to provide an even wider choice of short breaks for children and young people with disabilities in Wirral.

The new Wirral Community Short Breaks Grant will complement the current Short Break offer and increase the amount, range, choice, and quality of activities available.

The grants are for up to £5000 and can be used to cover costs such as training, facility hire, staffing- anything needed to develop the service.

Eligible organisations will be those which can offer short breaks to young people with disabilities in Wirral. Funding cannot be applied for individuals – any project must be for a service to benefit a group of children or young people with disabilities. In addition, applying organisations will need to provide evidence they have the correct training and safeguarding procedures in place.

Chair of the Children, Young People & Education Committee, Cllr Kathy Hodson, said: “This is a great project which will benefit children, young people and their families and provide an even broader range of options within the borough.”

The council is seeking applications from organisations who would like to deliver short breaks that can:

• Provide the primary carer with a short break by enabling the young person to spend time away from the family home.
• Help parents/carers feel supported and receive quality breaks in the knowledge that their child is being cared for by trained, professional staff in a safe environment.
• Assist in the development of young person’s self-confidence and social skills to interact with others.
• Offer the young person a positive enjoyable experience with young people of a similar age and needs, supported by appropriate staffing levels/ ratios.
• Linking in with mainstream provision and developing inclusive practise within these settings
• Offer achievable and measurable outcomes for Children and Young People

The short breaks programme is open for children and young people aged 0 – 18 but individuals and organisations applying for grants will be able to target a specific age group with the activity they do.

For more details and to apply visit www.wirral.gov.uk/shortbreaksgrant. Applications will be taken to a panel of professionals, young people and parents to assess.

The deadline for applications is 30th September.