Disabled children's activities (short breaks)
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Short Breaks are a range of play and leisure services for disabled children and young people.
The services are available for people who live in Barnet, from 0 to until their 19th birthday.
These services are for children and young people who need additional support to access play and leisure services.
We have a variety of organisations providing short break services locally. Further information is available in our Short Breaks Directory
You can check the activities offered by each organisation and decide which is most suited to your child’s needs.
Who can apply
To be eligible for a short break service, the child or young person must:
- be between 0 and 19 years old (until 19th birthday)
- receive an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) + falling in one of the Groups (A or B).
- receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or high rate
They must also fall under one of the following groups
Group A
Children and young people with a diagnosis of Autism.
In addition to a diagnosis of Autism, they are likely to have other impairments such as Severe Learning Disabilities.
Children in this group will display behaviour which challenges services or behaviour which causes injury to themselves or others.
Group B
Children and young people with complex health needs including those with disability and life limiting conditions resulting in a disability.
Those with associated impairments such as:
- cognitive or sensory impairments
- moving and handling needs
- require specialist trained staff and specialist equipment
Short Break offer
From 1st April 2025, the short breaks offer to Barnet families is:
- £1200 per year via pre-paid card** to allow families choice and flexibility of services
New applications received by the 31st of March will receive the full Short Breaks and PB budget allocation from 1st April. Applications received after 1st April will be allocated a pro rata rate (proportionate to when the written agreement was received).
At the end of each financial year, all funds remaining on cards will be recalled by midday on 28th March.
Any allocation or funding unused by the end of the financial year cannot be rolled over to the next financial year.
Please make sure that you make all your payments before funds are recalled.
**Information on the pre paid card provider can be found here.
How to apply
You will only need to complete a new Short Breaks application for the year:
- If a new child is requesting to access the service.
Apply for a short break in My Account
Applications for the new financial year open from 14 January for you to apply for a Short Break provision.
If you apply after January, your short break allocation and funding may need to start from 1st April. Please contact the short breaks team if you have activities planned for February half term that require a short breaks contribution.
You will receive an email confirmation of your application with a reference number (BAR....).
Changes to funding from 1st April 2025
From 1st April 2025, all families eligible for short breaks will be offered an allocation via a pre paid card.
If you already access short breaks via a pre-paid card, you will not be affected by this change.
We will no longer be offering 90 hours/ 15 days with approved providers.
You can find out more about this decision here.
If you do not have a pre paid card for short breaks currently, you will need to apply for a pre paid card to continue to receive a short breaks allocation from 1st April 2025 onwards. Families affected by this change will receive details on what they need to do.
If you have an allocated Social Worker or Family Support Worker please speak with them directly about this change and how it will affect you.
Frequently Asked Questions for these changes:
A copy of the short breaks pre paid card agreement terms:
Eligible families who need to apply for a card will be sent a copy of the pre paid card agreement to sign and a card application form.
Contact us
For further information regarding Short Breaks email us at Short.Breaks@Barnet.gov.uk