£500 Short Break Grant

[BarryandCaron]

Anyone else had information about this? We had a letter this week inviting us to apply for up to £500 Short Break grant. This is funded by the Aiming High Business Unit in association with the Children with Disabilities Team from our local Council.

If successful we can use the grant to fund a short break for the whole family or use it for a weekend away for just the two of us. It has to be used before the end of March next year so my idea of using towards our May holiday is out

Anyone have any ideas what we could use it for? I'm guessing we will be awarded it as DS2 meets all the criteria. Not sure how this is coming about though when everywhere is facing cuts

Caron

[Rachel1]

Gosh that would be lovely- no chance of anything like that for us! Could you use it to pay for the Dibb Meet in March? Or perhaps a city break at the beginning of the year, or towards the cost of a cottage for a cosy winter or even New Year break? if they are offering it they must have the funds to use before March, and they aren't allowed usually to carry money forward so take it while you can!

If its Sheffield council (from a google search) you can buy a health club membership!

[BarryandCaron]

Originally Posted by Rachel1

Gosh that would be lovely- no chance of anything like that for us! Could you use it to pay for the Dibb Meet in March? Or perhaps a city break at the beginning of the year, or towards the cost of a cottage for a cosy winter or even New Year break? if they are offering it they must have the funds to use before March, and they aren't allowed usually to carry money forward so take it while you can!

If its Sheffield council (from a google search) you can buy a health club membership!

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I had thought about using it for the Dibb meet in March although I've already paid for our caravan so not sure if that will count.

It's Doncaster Council that we come under and the letter did say something about health club membership We could also use it for car hire or theme park tickets. Wish we were going to WDW again this Christmas as it would have come in handy.

Caron

[spenners]

Caron,

I notice you are from Yorkshire but where abouts please? We live in Wakefield I am wondering if we would be eligable for this grant. Is it dependant on your earnings?

Thanks in anticipation,

Mandy

[BarryandCaron]

Originally Posted by spenners

Caron,

I notice you are from Yorkshire but where abouts please? We live in Wakefield I am wondering if we would be eligable for this grant. Is it dependant on your earnings?

Thanks in anticipation,

Mandy

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Mandy, we're from Doncaster. It doesn't say anything about earnings but whether you attend any of the special schools in Doncaster, receive High Rate DLA care or mobility. It states the grant is aimed at children (0-19) with ASD, severe learning disabilities, PMLD and Complex Health needs.

Caron

[spenners]

Our daughter attends special school in Wakefield, gets higher rate DLA for care,has ASD, has complex language and learning difficulties and is nearly 17. I will contact my daughters school and see if they have heard anything about it. Thanks for posting it's worth a try

[Melonz]

We get Jack from our council. At one point they were only registering physically disabled, not learning disabled.

They point blank refused to accept Paris as disabled until the 14+ transition review when SCHOOL basically had to flag up Paris to them that she comes under the criteria.

We had a meeting about a month before and they said that Paris does not come under their criteria. She has mod to severe learning disability i.e same level as year 1 she was then year 9! Also has Autism, not Aspergers or high Functioning Autism. But considering the social worker told me that autism is NOT a disability when i tried to reapply for her bus pass, that just said it all really.

Anyway, sorry to go off on a tangent, it just makes me mad as it's hard enough as it is. Next battle will be when she hits 19 and adult services.

[BarryandCaron]

Originally Posted by spenners

Our daughter attends special school in Wakefield, gets higher rate DLA for care,has ASD, has complex language and learning difficulties and is nearly 17. I will contact my daughters school and see if they have heard anything about it. Thanks for posting it's worth a try

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This offer hasn't come through school but from Doncaster Council. You might be better to contact Wakefield council to see if they are running anything similar. Good Luck

Originally Posted by melanie997

We get Jack from our council. At one point they were only registering physically disabled, not learning disabled.

They point blank refused to accept Paris as disabled until the 14+ transition review when SCHOOL basically had to flag up Paris to them that she comes under the criteria.

We had a meeting about a month before and they said that Paris does not come under their criteria. She has mod to severe learning disability i.e same level as year 1 she was then year 9! Also has Autism, not Aspergers or high Functioning Autism. But considering the social worker told me that autism is NOT a disability when i tried to reapply for her bus pass, that just said it all really.

Anyway, sorry to go off on a tangent, it just makes me mad as it's hard enough as it is. Next battle will be when she hits 19 and adult services.

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Sounds like you are really having a battle on your hands. DS2 is 18 and partly comes under adult services but can also access children services until he's 19 in May. We're in the process of applying for a day placement but nobody seems to be doing what they said they will do back in September at his review and we are no further forward :angry:

Caron

[Guest]

Hope you can make use of it Caron it seems some councils still have funds to use, our council is broke and don't even have the money for basic services. Could you even buy airmiles or similar to use towards a future holiday? Maybe you will just have to go back at Christmas

I hope those transitioning to adult services soon fare better than us. We wish we hadn't even bothered with any of the endless transition planning meetings, so much hot air, we'd have been better saving our time off for when there was nobody to care for DS and SW thought he'd be fine left home alone

[TrueBlue]

Hi Caron

If you's don't mind the driving then here's the link to the hotel we stayed at in the highlands of Scotland earlier this year. It's in a beautiful location with lots to do in the area.

The hotel price includes breakfast and evening meals too and we found the food delicious!

hilton/coylumbridge

I have the trip report for this weekend away in my signature if you'd like to see more pics ect

Good luck, hope you have a great time wherever you choose