Short Breaks funding available to support children with SEND
Friday, 23 July 2021
Our Short Breaks Grant Fund opens today (Friday 23 July), with voluntary organisations invited to apply for grants of up to £10,000 each.
The Short Breaks Grant Fund is designed to give funding to voluntary organisations who will provide holiday activities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across all school holidays up to 1 April 2022.
Each organisation can apply for a grant of up to a maximum of £10,000, with around £70,000 set aside overall.
Central Bedfordshire Council Executive Member for Families Education and Children, Councillor Sue Clark, said:
We’re pleased to open up the Short Breaks Grant Fund to relevant local organisations. We hope that by encouraging these organisations to apply for a grant, families will have more choice and locations for social, leisure and play activities. Short breaks are fantastic opportunities for children and young people with disabilities to spend time away from their primary carers, taking part in new experiences and fun activities. They also give parents and carers the opportunity to have a break from caring responsibilities. Through the Short Breaks Grant Fund, I’m hopeful we’ll be able to support more families who would benefit from access to short break activities.
Organisations are invited to apply by filling out an application form on the council’s website and submitting it by email before the closing date of 5pm on Sunday 8 August. Applications will be assessed by a panel that will include representatives from Central Bedfordshire Council, parents, carers and young people. Each organisation will be informed of the outcome by 16 August 2021.
The organisation must already have access to a site, or sites, that they can deliver their activities from.
The grant fund will be open for applications between 23 July and 8 August 2021. To apply, organisations should download and complete an application form from the council's website. Any applications received after the closing date will not be considered.