Aiming High

Young people with additional needs have told us that they would like to access fun activities, clubs and meet their friends, close to home and enjoy the same choices as their non disabled friends. Families and carers will be able to enjoy a break from their caring role to enable them to recharge their batteries and give time to their other children.

Aiming High for Disabled Children in Medway has been granted revenue and capital funding to deliver a transformation of Short Break services to children and families in Medway up to 2011.

Summer Schemes Parents and carers told us that they wanted their children to have the same choices as non-disabled children, supported by staff who are trained to work with special needs and that more provision of things to do and places to go was needed during the school holidays.

Summer schemes have been commissioned for 2009 at several school, nursery and youth club venues around Medway. It is anticipated that approximately 1500-2000 disabled children – an increase on previous years. Several of the schemes have been visited by the Young Inspectors, who interviewed participants, staff and families about their experience. The lessons learned from this summer’s activities will inform the commissioning of future activities, during half terms, Easter and summer holidays.

Brokerage Scheme (‘travel agency’ style scheme to broker all the different activity options that the children and young people can take up, including recruitment of service providers, training and equipment grant development) see www. activities-unlimited.co.uk for a similar Brokerage and Website.

Website Database The short breaks brokerage scheme is reliant on a bespoke information technology system and website, which will house the interactive database. The database will store information relating to the numbers of disabled children and their profile of need, plus information about the short breaks activities and opportunities and developments in Medway.

Buddies Scheme. An innovative scheme to match young volunteers to accompany the disabled young people to events and activities.

Our vision for children and young people with additional needs will build upon what they and their families have told us. Young people said they wanted more things to do, have places to go in the evenings, and to be able to access clubs and activities near to home. Parents and carers told us that they wanted their children to have the same choices as non-disabled children, supported by staff who are trained to work with special needs and that more provision of things to do and places to go was needed during the school holidays.

• We promise to ensure that there is adequate, accessible information available about short breaks
• Increase the number of disabled children and young people who access short breaks
• Check that children and young people and their parents or carers are satisfied with the short break offer they receive
• Make sure that the staff involved with children and young people are properly trained.

We will check regularly that our short break offer is:

• Inclusive
• Of high quality
• Enjoyable
• Flexible

A Parents’ Forum has been set up and run by Medway parents of disabled children. They meet regularly and are working closely with the Commissioner to develop the services.

Contact:

Christine Taylor
Commissioning Manager
Aiming High for Disabled Children
Christine.taylor@medway.gov.uk
01634 334402