Short Breaks Scheme - The Home from Home Respite Scheme

1. Principles of the Scheme

The Home from Home scheme provides short breaks for children and young people with a disability. The definition of disability is defined by the Equality Act 2010 as follows:

You are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. 

To qualify for inclusion in the scheme, the child or young person will meet certain criteria:

• The child has complex needs which require 24 hour supervision and a high level of support or the use of equipment;
• The child/young person's health and development are likely to be significantly impaired without the provision of services;
• Clear evidence of the imminent risk of family breakdown;
• Immediate danger and vulnerability of the child/young person or sibling(s);
• Risk situation where the child or sibling(s) are likely to suffer significant harm;
• Have been subject to a statutory assessment of need which has identified a need for this service.

The service can continue to be offered up to the age of 18 years, the plan will be reviewed at least every 6 months.

Foster Carers providing the care are assessed, trained, approved, reviewed, supervised and supported in the same way as all foster carers.

2. Access to the Scheme

Referrals will be received through the Disabled Children's Team. The provision of this service is subject to a statutory assessment of need. A decision to provide this service is made by the Short Breaks Resource Panel which comprises representatives from Children, Families and Community Health Services and Learning Disability CAMHS.

Note: these procedures do not preclude the possibility of urgent placement requests for children with disabilities being made through the placement duty system. In such cases, the usual placement procedures will apply.

3. Planning for Respite Homes

When a request for a Home from home respite arrangement is accepted, The Social worker will complete a profile with information about the child/young person and send this with a request to identify a Foster family to the Childrens Home Finding team.

The Childrens Home Finding team will then notify the Fostering team of the request. The Fostering team will search their availability for foster carers who can meet the child/young persons needs and notify the Childrens Home Finding team of the outcome.

If there are no foster carers In house available to meet the needs of the child/young person the children’s home finding team will be notified and the allocated social work team will seek permission to search for an IFA foster carer. Once a suitable home has been identified, funding agreement will be required through the care and resource panel prior to any arrangement being confirmed.

If an in house foster carer is identified as a possible carer, their Supervising Social Worker (SSW) will obtain more detailed information about the child and their needs which will be shared with the Foster carers. The need for any further information or training will also be explored. Following detailed discussion with the prospective foster carers, the SSW will confirm whether the Foster carers are able to offer to provide the care requested and inform the Childrens Home Finding team.

The Supervising Social Worker will arrange a Placement planning meeting with the carer, the child’s Social Worker and the parent(s). At this meeting the details of the child/young person and their needs will be confirmed and any additional training or equipment needs will be identified. Medical consent will be obtained from the parent, and a Health Care Plan and, Safer Care Plan agreed which will be signed by all parties. Details of who to contact in the event of an emergency will be shared with the foster carers and a backup contact will be obtained should the Parents not be available.

A plan of introductions will then be drawn up and agreement will be made of the dates for the care to be provided. This will ensure that prompt payment of fostering allowances to the Foster Carers will be made. If additional requirements are identified, the Supervising Social Worker and Social Worker will arrange for the necessary training and equipment to be made available, via Occupational Therapy, Specialist Health Visitor or other health professional as appropriate.

Reviews of any respite arrangements will take place at not less than 6 monthly intervals. Additional meetings may be called by any party to review the arrangements, as required.

The Supervising Social Worker will ensure that the carer understands the arrangements for payment.

Foster carers will be paid the fostering allowances pro rata along with their skill level pro rata (see Foster Carers Finance Handbook).

In August 2023, additional complex need payments were introduced.  This has been introduced in recognition of the increasing complexity of needs of some of the children we care for. Consideration of the child/young person’s needs in relation to the criteria for this additional complex needs payments should be agreed prior to the child being cared for by the foster carers.

If there are any changes to the arrangements in relation to the dates of respite care, the Foster Carer should notify the Supervising Social Worker to prevent any unnecessary over payments of fostering allowances.

Supervising Social Workers will visit home from home carers at least every 3 months, and more often, as required. They should ensure that the child is seen in the home at least once in every six months, whether on a visit by themselves or by the child's social worker. A minimum of one unannounced visit should be completed each year to the home during which the child/young person should be seen in the care of the foster carer to observe the relationships and standards of care provided.