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Derbyshire County Council forced to end disabled children’s short breaks to save money (13 June 2016)

Date: 13/06/2016
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Derbyshire County Council forced to end disabled children’s short breaks to save money

Derbyshire County Council has said that budget cuts mean short-break services for some disabled children are to end.

The council says that, by 2018, the funding the council receives from central government is expected to be one-third less than in 2010.

The council has sold off land and buildings, reduced back-office costs and cut the number of senior managers, but the extent of the cuts means that the council must consider cutting back most of its services, including the council’s Aiming High Derbyshire Offer.

The service is part of the menu of short breaks provided for disabled children and young people by the council, which has already been scaled back.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet has agreed to stop Aiming High groups, short-break grants, one-to-one support and activity weekends without the need for an assessment, from 1 October 2016 onwards.

The council says that families will be able to request a formal assessment of their needs – and short breaks would continue to be offered to children and young people with an identified need.

The move comes after the council launched a consultation during which more than 1,000 people were asked for their views.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for children's services, Councillor Jim Coyle, said:

“We've done all we can to protect frontline services and vulnerable people while our budgets are continually being cut back.

“We don't want to be in the position of stopping the Aiming High Derbyshire Offer without the need for an assessment, as we understand the effect it will have on families.

“However, the size of the cuts we are being forced to make means we simply can't afford to pay for services that we don't legally need to provide.”

The council has agreed that families who qualify for support following an assessment by children's services would continue to receive short breaks which fit their circumstances.

Children and young people who do not qualify for support will be encouraged to use services already operating around the county, including the council’s own youth offer.

Cllr Coyle added:

“We do not take decisions like this lightly – throughout our consultation, we contacted more than 1,000 families and encouraged them to give us their views.

“We know that the Aiming High breaks provide disabled young people with experiences away from home, while their carers get a valuable break – but we simply cannot afford to fund everything we used to and have to make some difficult choices.”

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