Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High)

Staffordshire County Council wishes to engage a Lead Provider to coordinate and deliver a countywide programme of Short Breaks provision for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-17 years and their families across Staffordshire. The service must provide accessible, meaningful and enjoyable opportunities which promote inclusion, independence, confidence, wellbeing and participation in community life, whilst also providing parents and carers with meaningful breaks from their caring responsibilities. The service will comprise both a General Targeted Offer and an Enhanced Targeted Offer to ensure support is proportionate to differing levels of need.

The objective of this service is to provide a range of Short Break activities across Staffordshire which Children and Young People with SEND can enjoy as independently as possible. Providers will be required to deliver activities and opportunities which:

• Are meaningful, enjoyable and appropriate to different ages, interests and levels of need;
• Promote inclusion, participation and a sense of belonging within local communities;
• Support independence, confidence, wellbeing and preparation for adulthood;
• Enable the development of friendships, relationships and social connections;
• Are delivered in safe, supportive and psychologically welcoming environments;
• Are available during evenings, weekends and school holiday periods;
• Include both indoor and outdoor opportunities where appropriate;
• Represent value for money and effective use of public resources; and
• Provide meaningful short breaks for parents and carers.

Providers will be required to:

• Encourage and enable Children and Young People with SEND to access community-based opportunities and local services;
• Work collaboratively with local organisations to promote inclusion and reduce barriers to participation;
• Provide support which is proportionate to individual needs, including for Children and Young People with more complex needs;
• Promote equitable access to provision across all areas of Staffordshire;
• Use engagement, feedback and co-production to shape and improve services;
• Monitor participation, utilisation and unmet demand and respond appropriately to identified gaps in provision;
• Engage in meaningful partnership working and effective communication with families, professionals and community organisations;
• Develop opportunities for peer support, friendships and social connections;
• Demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance and continuous improvement; and
• Deliver innovative and flexible approaches that improve outcomes for Children, Young People and families.

Staffordshire County Council is particularly interested in providers who can demonstrate how they will:

• Ensure equitable access to provision across all districts and boroughs of Staffordshire, particularly in rural and less populated areas;
• Improve access to short break opportunities for Children and Young People with higher and more complex levels of need;
• Address gaps in provision and respond flexibly to emerging demand; and
• Maximise participation amongst groups who may be underrepresented or face barriers to accessing services.

The service will be delivered through a single Lead Provider model. The Lead Provider will be responsible for the overall coordination, management, quality assurance and performance monitoring of the service and may deliver provision directly and/or through a network of Delivery Partners. The Lead Provider will act as the single point of accountability to Staffordshire County Council and will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of a coordinated, equitable and high-quality countywide service.

The contract will cover the delivery of Short Breaks provision for Children and Young People with SEND aged 0-17 years (up to their 18th birthday) and support for their families and carers across Staffordshire.