Proposed New Short Breaks Scheme Model Announced by Wiltshire Council
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On Monday 9th September 2025, Wiltshire Council announced on their website the proposal to launch a new short breaks model for children and young people with SEND in Wiltshire. The article on the Council website reads as follows…
A new approach to providing short breaks to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is set to launch next April.
The model will provide a range of options to help benefit more SEND families and is the result of consultation with parents, carers and partners. It will be discussed by Wiltshire Council cabinet on Tuesday 16th September 2025.
Currently families who have Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and meet eligibility criteria receive a direct payment to source their own activities or pay for activity hours provided by the commissioned service Barnardo's, or a combination of both.
With the current commissioned service ending in March 2026, a full review of the Short Breaks offer was carried out in response to rising demand and financial pressures. The new model builds on the strengths of the existing system, reflects feedback from families, and supports inclusive, community-based care.
A new tool called the eligibility matrix will be introduced across the Short Breaks offer to ensure support is provided fairly, based on individual needs. The eligibility criteria will be developed during the autumn and will include input from parents and carers. A final version is expected by April 2026 and the criteria will help structure and clarify how eligibility is determined in a consistent way. The Wiltshire Parent Carer Council (WPCC) and the Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (WCIL) will remain key partners in this work.
Key features of the new model will be:-
• An offer open to all 16,000 SEND families who have some form of SEN support to find inclusive activities in their local area.
• Programmes including Ability Sports and a range of other activities with weekly clubs and holiday activities for approximately 300 children who need more structured support.
• Direct payments will be available for approximately 4,000 families to choose the short breaks which work for them
• Enhanced support for children with the most complex needs, around 250 children where higher levels of support will be available
This new proposed model comes as a result of significant coproduction with parent carers whose contributions have helped to inform and shape the new proposed offer. We are delighted that in response to parent carer feedback, we have been successful in agreeing the continuation of a Payment Offer and enhanced support for children and young people with the most complex needs in the proposed model. The WPCC will post further updates as and when there is more to share.
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