We are working in partnership with Nottingham City Council to explore, test and develop new ways to increase the range of activities, groups and opportunities available in the city for disabled children and young people and their families. Ideally, these opportunities would be rooted in local communities and give young people and their families a break from each other, while the children enjoy themselves.
Work got underway in September 2022. We had conversations with people and put out a survey to local organisations and the parent / carer forum. We heard from young people, parents and carers, so that work could build on what is really wanted and needed.
People told us things like:
“The most important part is having a very compassionate staff who can keep the child not only engaged and happy.”
“Number 1 important thing would be that you feel your child is safe.”
“…people can socialise and have a sense of community.”
We then worked with people who were potentially interested in offering short breaks support. This involved the design of a tailored development programme to help local people who already run organisations, enterprises and groups to diversify what they do. The programme helps them to understand what is needed by young people and their families, and take steps to offer it.
Positive work is also underway with creative leaders in the council to help them understand the system and cultural blocks to choice. And then to adapt the ways they currently buy and offer activities and support, developing new ways that work for a wider range of community organisations.
There is a particular interest in the development of opportunities for children and young people who have complex health needs and/or physical disabilities. We are focusing on children over 8 and on teenagers in particular. We know that when it comes to choice that both one-to-one support and group options are important.
We are hopeful that enterprises and groups that emerge from the process will offer local support that enables children and young people to do different things in their community – and that this support would be funded by the council as much as possible, either directly or using direct payments. We are also hopeful that the systems that emerge from this partnership will ensure a growth in the choice of opportunities. And that these options and opportunities are viable, sustainable and replicable.