What services do we offer?

Residential short breaks

The residential service provides overnight short breaks for children with disabilities.

Based on the ground floor of the Light House, the residential facility has 10 bedrooms all with en-suite facilities.  It is run by a team of skilled and experienced residential childcare workers.

The Residential Short Breaks service has developed a Makaton friendly version of the Diversity and Heritage pledge to ensure children with differing forms of communication can access this more readily.

Sun

Sun has 6 bedrooms and is designed for children with multiple disabilities, complex medical needs and physical impairments. The bedrooms have equipment, aids and adaptations to help meet the needs of the more physically disabled children. There is a treatment room and a sensory room to provide a stimulating experience, plus a large playroom with patio doors leading to a sensory garden which has an accessible swing and a roundabout for wheelchair users.

Star

Star has 4 bedrooms and is designed for children with needs related to their behaviour. There is also a sensory room to provide a calming experience, and an indoor soft-play room.

The gardens include a play area containing a rubberised track for quad bikes and recreational equipment for children who enjoy more physical activities. Both garden areas are safe and secure and are accessible from the building via separate patio doors.

Ofsted inspect the residential service to make sure it continues to deliver a good service.

We have a fully adapted minibus which is used to take children on outings.

To be eligible for a residential short break, your child will be aged between 0 to 17 years and have a diagnosed moderate to severe learning disability, or any other condition (for example, a life limiting illness) and a diagnosed moderate to severe learning disability.

Residential Short Breaks Statement of Purpose.

Occupational therapy

The Occupational Therapy team works in partnership with children with disabilities and their parents and carers to promote independent living within the home.

An occupational therapist will visit children in their own home and carry out an assessment of their needs. The assessment will identify any equipment or adaptations that may be required to maximise the child’s independence within the home; for example, handrails, grab rails and ramps. The occupational therapist will then arrange for the provision of these adaptations including obtaining quotations if specialist adaptations are required.

If major adaptations are required, Disabled Facilities Grants are available to owner / occupiers and privately rented properties.

To be eligible for a service offered by the Occupational Therapy team, your child will be aged between 0 to 17 years and have a diagnosed permanent and substantial physical disability and/ or a diagnosed moderate to severe learning disability.

Direct payments

A direct payment is money given to parents and carers, by the authority, to enable them to buy in support that is assessed as being needed, instead of the authority providing that support through their own services such as residential care or a Community Short Break. Direct payments do not affect benefits.

Direct payments are available to children aged between 0 to 17 years with a diagnosed moderate to severe learning disability, or any other condition (such as a life limiting illness) and a diagnosed moderate to severe learning disability.

Community Short Breaks

Community Short Breaks are specific short breaks for children with disabilities. Children who cannot access universal services without additional support or because of individual, family or environmental factors. Or maybe because their disabilities or needs are more complex that they cannot be met by universal services or family support alone.  

Community Short Breaks provide children with disabilities the opportunity to experience an activity that is fun, stimulating and enjoyable, independent from their parents and carers. These aim to reduce their social isolation and help their personal and social development.

Community Short Breaks also give parents and carers a necessary and valuable rest from caring responsibilities. Allowing them to re-charge their batteries, spend time with other family members and provide space to do other things. 

Community Short Breaks may be provided in the evenings, weekends and school holidays.

What is on offer?

There are two types of Community Short Break – a provider service and a grant.

Provider services

We commission providers to deliver some Community Short Breaks services. These providers arrange activity groups which are designed to be stimulating, enjoyable and fun and help promote friendships and peer support. They offer an exciting choice of varied activities at several venues across the city. Special events are arranged throughout the year too, celebrating religious and cultural holidays, local carnivals and national events. Day trips are also available during the school holidays, some of which are suitable for the whole family to enjoy. Provider services are available after school, at weekends or during the school holidays.

How much does it cost?

Support workers are provided free of charge. However, some activities will have additional costs which families will need to pay for.

A list of our current providers 

Transport

In some circumstances, a provider may be able to offer transport, but it is not routinely provided. Families will usually need to arrange transport to take their child to and from the activity sessions.

Community Short Breaks Grant

The Community Short Breaks Grant is a cash payment made directly to the parent or carer of a child with disabilities. This cash payment allows families flexibility, choice and control to choose their own short break activity in the community.

The grant may be used on a wide range of leisure activities dependent on your child’s interests. Children in Derby are currently using their grant to enjoy activities such as:

• 1 to 1 swimming lessons
• 1to 1 martial arts classes
• sailing club
• football coaching
• sensory soft play sessions
• horse riding for children with disabilities

We have compiled a list of organisations who offer short break activities in the community and where you may choose to use your grant.

This list is not exhaustive, please speak to the team if you would like to use your grant somewhere else. Please note that these organisations are not Derby City Council contracted services and so have not been subject to any Derby City Council due diligence processes.

The grant is paid directly to parents and carer’s nominated bank account. Parents and carers will be required to sign a grant agreement and submit evidence of expenditure, including completing a simple spending form and submitting receipts.

Who can apply for a Community Short Break

To be eligible for a service, your child will have a diagnosed disability. We support children with disabilities who are not receiving any other similar support to a Community Short Break. Therefore, we cannot offer a service to any child who already access activities in the community or any other service delivered by The Light House. This also includes Direct Payments that have been awarded for social activities.

• Community Short Breaks Grant - Sample Agreement

How do I apply for a service?

To access any of our services you will need to ask a professional who knows your child to complete an Early Help Assessment form. A professional may be a:

• school teacher
• community nurse
• health visitor
• paediatrician
• occupational therapist
• physiotherapist
• doctor (GP)

Early Help Assessment form and guidance can be downloaded or you can request it by emailing us at VCM-IDCS@derby.gov.uk or by telephone on 01332 256990.

You must provide evidence of diagnoses by including at least one of the following with the Early Help Assessment:

• a psychiatric report.
• a psychologist report.
• confirmation of diagnosis from a paediatrician.
• a completed Education Health Care Plan evidencing a diagnosed disability. 

If we do not receive this evidence, we will not be able to consider your request.

You may include any other relevant assessments you think will support the referral.

The completed Early Help Assessment form and evidence of diagnosis should then be sent to our Single Point of Access who will make sure we have all the information we need.

The Early Help Assessment will be discussed by managers at a weekly meeting, known as VCM Panel. A senior member from each service at the Light House comes to the meeting and they decide which service they think is best for your child and family.

The VCM Panel may decide to accept your child for a service or they may need to speak to the person who referred you to gain additional information. We will then write to you with the panel’s decision.

If you need any further information or help to complete the Early Help Assessment, please telephone us on 01332 956457 or email VCM-IDCS@derby.gov.uk.

Fieldwork

The Fieldwork team consists of social workers and children’s practitioners who are responsible for assessment, care planning, safeguarding, short-term intervention and early intervention.

To be eligible for a service from the Fieldwork team, your child will be aged between 0 to 17 years and have a diagnosed moderate to severe learning disability, or any other condition, for example, a life limiting illness and a diagnosed moderate to severe learning disability.