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WQ.351/2024
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
BY DEPUTY H.M. MILES OF ST. BRELADE
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 14th OCTOBER 2024 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 21st OCTOBER 2024
Question
"In respect to overnight short-break or respite services available to children who have complex additional needs, will the Minister –
- detail the criteria used to determine access to these services;
- provide a list of States of Jersey service providers, including the number of places available in each; and
- outline what steps he is taking, if any, to ensure that there is sufficient future capacity to provide support to children with complex additional needs?"
Answer
- Access to overnight Short Breaks is via social work assessment by our Complex Needs Team. Families can self-refer for an assessment or can be referred by an involved professional. The social worker will consider factors such as the complexity of a child's needs (particularly their need for intervention overnight), the capacity and needs of the child's family (including siblings), and the resources otherwise available to the family (including within their extended family network).
The assessment is supervised, quality-assured and signed-off by a Team Manager, and where a need for overnight Short Breaks is indicated, the child's case is presented at a multidisciplinary Resource Panel, which sits weekly. This panel considers the assessed needs, the resources required to meet those needs and the equitable allocation of such resources across the cohort.
The Matrix of Need and the Threshold Document for the Complex Needs team are attached.
- CYPES runs two Short Breaks Children's Homes:
Eden House specialises in the care of ambulant children with learning disabilities and complex behavioural needs. It currently operates from a temporary site while its permanent building is being refurbished. It can accommodate up to three children per night. Six children currently attend, with three more on a waiting list who are being introduced in the coming few weeks.
Oakwell cares for children with complex health needs and life-limiting conditions. It can accommodate up to four children per night. Thirteen children currently attend, with two on a waiting list.
Neither home currently has any places available.
- CYPES is undertaking a needs analysis and review of Short Breaks provision (daytime and overnight) in Jersey. This recognises that overnight Short Breaks should be part of a menu of support, should be offered only to those with the highest needs, and should not be used as a substitute for daytime provision. We are keen therefore to ensure that children with the most complex needs are able to access schemes such as those run by the Youth Service and Mont a L'abbe school, and that we commission sufficient high-quality outreach services.
We are working with Mencap's Les Amis service, which currently provides overnight breaks to disabled adults but is developing a transitions offer for children over sixteen.
The redevelopment of Eden House will increase its capacity from three to four bedrooms and will enable us to safely care for a mix of older and younger children on the same night. It is due to open by December 2024.