Short Breaks for Disabled Children Befriending

Sheffield City Council seeks to commission services to provide Befriending support for children and young people with SEND, to enable them and support them to go out into the community and access activities. This is aligned to the Day Time Short Break building based group activities. It is the Purchaser's intention to apply high standards of care to the performance of this Contract and to establish a professional, developmental and progressive relationship with Service Providers to the benefit of children and young people and their families. The Purchaser is committed to working in partnership with independent and voluntary organisations who are involved in the care of children and young people with SEND and their families. Short Break Services are an essential part of a continuum of support for parent/ carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Providing a break to parent/carers from their caring responsibilities or their usual routine. They include leisure or educational activities out of school hours, at weekends, during school holidays, or during the evenings. Short breaks also include specialised services for children and young people with SEND who need more tailored support, such as home-based support, or overnight support in a residential, home or community setting. They can be for a few hours or overnight, and families may access short breaks very regularly, or occasionally, dependent upon their needs.