SEND document hub

Short breaks are for children and young people with disabilities or additional needs. They are an opportunity to spend time away from parents, engage in fun activities and enjoy time with friends.

They offer parents/carers a break from their caring responsibilities and time to spend with other family members and to catch-up on other daily tasks.

The short breaks programme is open to all children and young people who:

• Have a disability or additional needs and may require support to participate fully in leisure or recreation activities
• Are aged between 0 and 18 (up to their 19th birthday)
• Live within Southampton City Council boundaries

There are four tiers of support offered through the Short Breaks Programme. These are available depending on the child's level of need. View the short breaks statement.

The Buzz Network is a group for Southampton parents/carers of children and young people with a disability or additional needs. It's funded by Southampton City Council who work closely with the Southampton Parent Carer Forum to ensure it is meeting the needs of families.

The MAX Card and MAX Card PLUS is issued to all children and young people on The Buzz Network. It gives discounts or benefits to the holder and one other person at a range of venues and organisations within Southampton and further afield. The card can only be used by the registered child and their parent/carer so please don't lend it to anyone else.

You can:

• Download a registration form
• Get in touch at buzz.network@southampton.gov.uk
• Read more about short breaks and the tiers of support available

Find out more about The Buzz Network.

Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

• View the SEND Code of Practice

An Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan is for children and young people aged up to 25 years old who need more support than is available through special educational needs support.

Education, Health and Care plans identify educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs.

• Self referral EHCP Application request form – parents and carers
• Guidance for completion of EHCP Application request – parents and carers

You can also view the Education, Health and Care Plan pages. You can download all the relevant forms/guidance on this page.

The Southampton SENDIASS website also has a really useful library of resources in respect of Education, Health and Care Plans.

Travel support for those attending SEN school or placement.

This applies to children attending their designated most appropriate school that can meet their need who are unable to walk to school (accompanied or unaccompanied) by reason of their special educational needs.

View the home to school transport information.

View the Southampton City Council home to school transport and post-16 travel arrangements policy.

SEN support – easy read guide for children and young people

The Southampton portage service is a home teaching service for young children with special educational needs aged 0-3 years who are delayed in at least two areas of development.

View the self-referral form for the portage service

You can also view information about the portage service.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is the main benefit for children under 16 with a condition or disability. DLA helps to meet the extra costs that you might have as a result of your child’s disability.

View the Disability Living Allowance information page on Contact for links to the forms/guidance you need.

You can also go straight to the DLA claim for children.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit to help with the extra costs of disability for adults aged 16 to pension age. It replaces Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children when they turn 16.

View information about the Personal Independence Payment.

The Children and Families Act 2014 is an Act of the Parliament of the UK. This is a landmark and wide-ranging Act designed to fully reform services for vulnerable children by giving them greater protection (paying special attention to those with additional needs), and also by helping parents and the family as a whole.

• View the Children and Families Act 2014
• View the Young persons guide to The Children and Families Act 2014

As a parent/carer, you can self-refer to this service (providing full evidence).

• Download the referral form for the Specialist Teaching Advisory Service

You can also view the Specialist Teaching Advisory Service information page.

Jigsaw (Children with Disabilities Team) is a specialist and statutory multi-agency health and social care service that undertakes assessments and provides services at the complex level of needs.

The team supports disabled children, young people and their families whose main need for service arises from their disability or their intrinsic condition, and where these conditions have a complex impact on the quality of the child’s life or/and the lives of their families.

The service intervenes where their needs cannot be fully met by universal and targeted services alone.

You can view the Jigsaw Service information page for full information about this service.