DCYPS - description
Not all children with a disability or additional needs require a service from DCYPS.
Wherever possible, additional help will be provided by other services including Gloucestershire’s early help and locality social care teams. Where this is the case, it does not prevent children and families from having access to support such as direct payments and short breaks (subject to assessment).
Children with the most complex and challenging needs arising from their disability will receive help from our specialist DCYPS. This comprises the following:
A specialist social work team
This works with children and young people whose disability or additional needs are particularly complex (see Eligibility Criteria below). Its social workers specialise in working with disabled children. They undertake direct work with children, young people and families, and coordinate packages of care and support to meet assessed need.
A specialist early help team
This works with disabled children and young people who do not require a specialist social worker but do need the support of a practitioner with specialist knowledge and skills.
Hartwood House, a residential short-breaks unit
This provides daytime or overnight short breaks for children aged between eight and eighteen years, with a disability, and accommodates up to six children at any one time. It offers a variety of activities to provide opportunities for children to mix with other people and develop new experiences. Examples include cinema visits, swimming, shopping, artwork, music, and development of self-help skills. In line with legislation, it is regulated by Ofsted. Children receiving short breaks are not legally seen as children in care unless they have more than 75 nights per year. If they do have more than 75 nights, care planning regulations[1] Social workers will always discuss the implications of this with parents and carers.
Appendix
Family Links (short-break day-care and fostering)
This provides daytime or overnight short breaks with carers who are specially trained and approved in line with the Fostering Regulations (a legal requirement). As with Hartwood House, care planning regulations only apply if a child receives more than 75 nights short breaks in a year.