From April 2011, local authorities will be under a duty to provide a short breaks service to carers of disabled children.
The regulations build on the rapid expansion of short breaks services which all local authorities have achieved through the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme.
The regulations require local authorities to
- offer breaks as a preventive early intervention
- offer a range of services for parents
- publish a statement of those services to parents.
The advice for local authorities which accompanies these regulations has been drawn up with the help of a small group of local authorities, the Council for Disabled Children and Together for Disabled Children.
Over £800 million of funding to local authorities for the provision of short breaks will be provided through the Early Intervention Grant.
