The team consists of a Team Manager and three Social Workers, and is part of the overall CYPD Service.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the Short Break Team at Barking and Dagenham is to give an opportunity to the children with additional needs and disabilities to participate in enjoyable activities, discover new interests, to have fun and to have their needs met. Short Breaks also provide families with much needed respite.

Barking and Dagenham Council has a responsibility to provide a range of Short Breaks Services designed to assist parents and carers who provide care for children with disabilities to enable them to continue to do so, or to do so more effectively, by giving them breaks from their caring role.

Our Vision

Barking and Dagenham Council is committed to working with local communities and partners to improve quality of life and to make the Borough a better place to live work and visit.

We are committed to supporting children and young people with disabilities and are determined to provide the right support at the right time.

We will promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people with disabilities, ensuring they can fully participate in family and community life, enjoy themselves with friends and make meaningful decisions about their own lives.

We will continue to work closely with families and key professionals to help children and young people with disabilities to enjoy opportunities to reach their potential and fulfil their ambitions.

We will offer locally based, culturally appropriate services to meet the needs of our growing communities and provide support to organisations delivering Short Break Services.

We will be clear and equitable, gaining an understanding of individual circumstances where possible and allocating services based on identified and assessed needs.

We are committed to making the best use of the resources available and ensuring that services are:

• Advertised, with clear information about what is available.
• Easy to access; in locations that are not hard to get to and have eligibility criteria that are easily understood.
• Person-centred; that is aimed at meeting the needs of the individual.
• Regular and reliable; that is that they happen at the times that people want them to.