Please note: we will not consider agreeing a short break if you haven't yet applied for DLA or PIP, and you must be resident in the county.
Who can get a short break and how to apply
The decision to provide a short break is informed by an assessment of the child's needs, taking account of parenting capacity and wider family and environmental factors.
You may be entitled to a short break if your child:
- is living in the county of Leicestershire
- has a disability
- is aged 5 to 15 and is in receipt of high-rate care for Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- is aged 16 or 17 and is in receipt of high-rate care for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- has an Education, Health and Care Plan or has been sent a letter that they will be receiving an EHCP
Learn more about the support available to young people when they pathway to adulthood.
Definition of disability
You are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
- Substantial is more than minor or trivial, for example it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed.
- Long-term means 12 months or more, for example a breathing condition that develops because of a lung infection.
Apply for a short break
If you meet the eligibility criteria above and are interested in getting a short break, you can make a request for children and family services
If you don't meet the full criteria
If your child doesn't meet the full criteria, for example because they don't have an EHCP, but meets the definition of disabled, it may be possible to request an assessment to explain why your child/family needs support.