www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Family Support (disabled children)
Summary of Service
The Family Support (Disabled Children) service provides support services to families in need who have a child diagnosed with a severe or profound disability, including those which are life threatening, life limiting, or technology dependent.
We are a County wide service that consists of two elements:
- Family Support Team (Disabled Children) providing community support & family-based short-break services across the county.
- Canon's House a residential short-break service based in Devizes for children who have a severe learning disability. In the Salisbury area the residential short-break service is provided by the Primary Care Trust (PCT).
Details of Service
We support families by commissioning and providing support services in the community:
- Parenting support to help parents improve their coping skills and learn new behaviour management skills.
- Day care is provided through childminders, and a sitting service typically offering a break of 4 hours per month.
- Help in the home is provided through domiciliary care agencies providing additional support at key times.
- Organised activities in the form of specialised Saturday clubs and holiday schemes or funding in the form of a voucher to attend a local holiday scheme that is able to provide additional staff to support the child (called 'Leisure Options'). In addition some funding is provided to the Youth Service to enable severely disabled young people access their local youth provision.
- Brothers & sisters groups focusing on the feelings of living with a disabled sibling.
- Direct Payments is a new way of arranging your care. The usual way is for your social worker to assess what help you need and then arranges for a support service to be provided. However, with a Direct Payment, Children and Families Services give you the money instead to organise the support in a way that suits you as a family. A Direct Payment gives you choice, control, flexibility and more independence when arranging your care. To receive a Direct Payment you must give your consent. You cannot be given a Direct Payment if you do not want one.
- Overnight breaks away from home are provided in two ways. Family-based service with people who are approved as Short Break Foster Carers.
Eligibility
The Children's Disability Teams will carry out a family assessment to identify the needs of the family. A variety of factors will be considered.
To request an assessment of need contact your area Children with Disabilities Team.
North & Kennet Children with Disability Team
Children's Resource Centre
357 Hungerdown Lane
Chippenham
SN14 0UY
Tel: 01249 444321
The Cedars
Browfort,
Bath Road
Devizes
SN10 2 AP
Tel: 01380 730055
West Wilts Children with Disability Team
Lowbourne House
Lowbourne
Melksham
SN12 7DX
Tel: 01225 709777
Salisbury Children with Disability Team
Salt Lane
Salisbury
SP1 1DU
Tel: 01722 327551
What do I do if my child does not have a severe/profound disability or complex healthcare needs?
Children and young people who do not come under the severe or complex health care category should approach their Locality Team for an assessment of their child's needs.
Some examples of what the specialist Children's Disability Teams would not cover are Children with mental health problems, ADHD, Aspergers syndrome, emotional and behavioural difficulties, mild or moderate autism and other mild or moderate disabilities.
Social Inclusion Fund
Wiltshire County Council has set aside a fund to help integrate excluded groups (including disabled children) into local childcare, out of school and early year's provision. The fund can pay childcare fees for 1 session per week, and in some cases fund additional staffing support. Contact the Children's Information Service at ask on 08457 585072 for more information.
Contact Details
By Post
Family Support (Disabled Children)
Trowbridge Resource Centre
53 Rutland Crescent
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 0NY
By Email
respitecare@wiltshire.gov.uk
By Telephone
01225 752198
By Fax
01225 775334
| A to Z Names | Family Support (disabled children), Children and young people - respite care |
|---|---|
| Keywords | undefined |
| PID No. | 260 |
| IPSV Category | Respite care |
| Level 1 Name | Family Support (disabled children) |
| IPSV ID | 165 |
