The DCSF invited children's services departments, in partnerships with PCTs, to submit expressions of interest in being part of a short breaks pathfinder programme. The submissions received contained a wealth of information from a number of areas relating to both their current provision of short breaks and plans for meeting the aspirations of Aiming High. The following were successful in their application to become pathfinders:
- Bradford
- Bolton
- Bournemouth-Dorset-Poole (joint pathfinder)
- Brighton
- Dudley
- Derbyshire
- Enfield
- Gloucestershire
- Gateshead
- Halton
- Kent
- North Yorkshire
- North Tyneside
- Nottinghamshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Sutton
- Sunderland
- Telford & Wrekin
As part of being selected, the above areas attend learning sets where they share information, test out new ideas and provide a platform for learning that could be disseminated to the non-pathfinder areas in order to assist their progress.
The learning sets are made up of seven groups, listed below, and the following are early indications of the work being undertaken by the learning sets:
Direct Payments - how to empower parents, ensure safeguarding is kept on the agenda, provide a good menu of services to be purchased.
Understanding Short Breaks - moving away from the 'respite care' model to a vision of universal and specialist provision that has a clear strategy on meeting parent's needs. Not fitting children and families into what already exists but tailored packages of support.
Improved Commissioning - understanding and developing the market both with existing and new providers. How to enable parents to be part of the commissioning process. Joining up policies, procedures and processes between PCT and LA. Develop robust data collection and use effectively to inform commissioning. TDC have run regional commissioning workshops and will work closely with new commissioning field force to establish what else may be needed specifically for short breaks.
Building the Short Break Workforce - this includes how to develop one children's workforce development strategy and how to maximise the skills and strengths of the workforce and join up employment procedures rather than have staff employed by a number of agencies. How to up-skill universal services and raise the confidence of parents. TDC work closely with CWDC and a representative attending this learning set.
Eligibility - how to involve parents in budget setting and criteria. TDC are working with the Council for Disabled Children and Pathfinders to produce guidance on eligibility.
Challenging Behavior/Autism Spectrum - making short breaks more outcome focused for children. Enabling universal services to be used effectively.
Complex Health Needs - how to maximise the expertise from health into universal services and how to build the confidence of universal services to cater for children. A representative from the Department of Health is invited to join this learning set to influence and support development.