Blackpool councils short breaks children service offers overnight short breaks to children aged 5 to 17 with a diagnosis of learning disabilities, autism, complex physical and/or complex health issues and challenging needs.
Our service offers planned short breaks for children living in Blackpool who meet the complex needs team criteria of assessment, and if required emergency care for a time limited period for children who meet the criteria and are already accessing the service.
How to access
Your child must live in Blackpool and have been referred to the complex needs team, it is possible to self refer your child. Your child will need a formal child and family assessment of needs.
The assessment of needs will not directly lead to a referral to Hornby Rd, the social worker undertaking the assessment will be able to discuss Blackpool’s local offer and look at the times/places and areas of need for your child.
This will inform a recommendation which will be considered at Resources Panel. The panel decision will suggest if Hornby are appropriate, or whether alternative services could be considered/ meet the needs of the child being referred.
The allocation of a short breaks package is individual to each child/adolencent and their needs will be reviewed at least every 6 months.
Our aims
The aim of short breaks is to provide the parent/ carer with an opportunity for a break from the caring role alongside creating opportunities for the child to build resilience away from home, have an extension of their own world and provided robust support for both the family and child in a tailor-made service.
The team have an extensive training portfolio to include bespoke training as per individuals need.
The home setting
Children have their own private bedroom, 4 of these are on the ground floor supporting children with physical needs or children with sight/epilepsy. These rooms also have the option of epilepsy alarms which can detect tonic seizure jerking and nocturnal seizure activity. Our rooms are tastefully decorated.
The home offers a warm, welcoming and relaxed extension of the family home and has communal rooms with computers, sky TV and a log cabin. We have a fantastic facility, with key coded doors, gated – raised and secure perimeter. We have fantastic private and enclosed garden play area with play equipment and a sensory garden, in the floor trampoline and a ball pool. The service has its own 7-seater vehicle with wheelchair
We like to promote and encourage every child’s independence and we have positive relationships with the children’s education providers so that, where possible we can promote working together towards targets or to overcome challenges that young people may face.
The service is managed by an Ofsted registered manager, 3 senior residential workers and a staff team that are on shift over a 24-hour period. The service is closed on all bank holidays.
Contact us:
For further enquiries please contact:
Telephone: 01253 4778O7