The Short Breaks project

1. The Short Breaks project Stockport Children and Young People’s Directorate

2. When and why was it set up? • October 2001 • To provide a breathing space for children living with families who were experiencing some form of crisis and fear of family breakdown • To prevent children entering the care system

3. Original referral criteria • Children without disabilities • Aged 0 – 16 years • Allocated social worker

4. Changes in the project’s remit • August 2005 – Short Breaks started with working with children with disabilities as well • From March 2006 – all placements set up under section 17.6 (classed as children in need as opposed to looked after children)

5. Staffing • 2001- one Short Breaks coordinator. • From November 2006 - Short Breaks manager, 2 x Short Breaks coordinators

6. Numbers of placements • Capacity to provide 70 children with Short Breaks placements at any one time • Currently have 56 children in placement due to embargo on placements since November 2009

7. Placement types and frequency • Day support - once or twice a week or as little as once a month • Overnight placements - once or twice a month • Very occasionally a mixture of both

8. Length of placements • Time limited • Need to review on a regular basis • Aim is to end placements within 9 months where disability is not the main reason for support • Problems arise when the case becomes unallocated to a social worker and/or is allowed to drift

9. Cost of placements • £35 for an overnight placement for up to 24 hours • £5 per hour for day support only • Pay review under a way to consider different method of payment i.e hourly rate from 8am – 8pm and then a flat rate of £10 flat rate for the overnight component of the placement

10. Short Breaks carers • 22 Short Breaks carers • 4 carers currently being assessed

11. Meet Dianne!

12. Childminders and Short Breaks • Dianne Stead • Registered as a Network childminder • Previously known to Short Breaks through her involvement with the Day Care Family Support project and her involvement supporting children under the age of 5 • Became involved with Short Breaks 7 years ago

13. Childminders as support carers • Statutory checks and 2 references are taken • Visits made to get background information and prepare new carers for the task • Same training is offered to childminders as given to foster carers • Supervised, monitored and supported in the same way as foster carers are under fostering regulations • Placement agreements, safer caring, regular reviews and recordings kept

14. Childminders • Less stigma attached • Some families fear that short breaks with a foster carer may turn into a full time placement • Childminders can provide day support for children aged under 8 years of age whereas foster carers cannot

15. Foster carers • Less controversy placing children with foster carers for overnight placements • There are already set standards in place to follow re recruitment, supervision and training • The process can be very long and drawn out when applicant only wants to offer one overnight a month

16. Variety is the spice of life! • Carers have their own preferences with regard to the age groups of children they work with and types of needs they are interested in and feel comfortable working with – regardless of whether they are childminders or foster carers • Some carers only want to commit to providing a short breaks placement once a month, others offer more with some working full time for the project

17. Carers perspective • The focus of this presentation is on the carers’ perspective so I will hand you over to Sue and Jim Richardson who work full time for the Short Breaks project and support 12 children

18. Contact details • Pat Bugajski • pat.bugajski@stockport.gov.uk • CYPD 1 Baker St Heaton Norris Stockport SK4 1QQ