If you use any of the Short Break Services listed below, please download our questionnaire (.pdf, 20kb) as we would really appreciate your comments.
Please also take time to view our videos of some of the services listed below.
Leisure for All
This is an in-house service, targeted at children and young people with a disability (as defined by DDA) to access leisure opportunities. Leisure for All provides weekend activities, weekday evening activities and school holiday activities.
Activities include:
- overnight holidays at Ribby Hall Holiday Village (caravan and lodge)
- one off trips to London for example
- school holiday activities, family fun days
- a regular programme of evening activities (e.g. drama, multi-sports, bowling, support in mainstream out of school clubs)
- residential holiday opportunities
- cycling and walking groups.
All staff are fully trained and support children on either a one-to-one, two-to-one or group basis. Activities are determined in consultation with children and young people. No assessment is required. Days / activities offered will depend on the numbers wishing to access the service.
- Contact: Kelly Piper
Tel: 01942 486062
Crossroads Care
Crossroads is a voluntary organisation commissioned to deliver flexible short breaks to children and young people with a disability. Short breaks are for a minimum of 3 hours and are determined through either a CAF assessment or an existing social work assessment. Crossroads can provide one-to-one support or two-to-one support dependent on need, and can offer bespoke packages of care dependent on the needs of the child and family. Crossroads can support children in the family home or out in the community.
- Contact: Liz Saunders
Tel: 01942 488146
Landgate Outreach Service
This is an in-house service to support children and young people in the community with Autistic Spectrum Condition. The service will provide valuable access to the community, participation in meaningful activities, provide learning / play opportunities, both group and individual activities (where appropriate) and ultimately provide short breaks for local families. With support from qualified and experienced staff who have particular expertise within the field of Autism, children and young people will have support either in the community or within the family home.
The needs of each family are assessed and an appropriate support package will be delivered in line with assessed need and family wishes. The team can provide support with regards to implementing structure and routine through the use of visual communication aids and behaviour management strategies.
The aim is to educate family members so that they are able to use the communication aids / strategies independently. The team work alongside other local groups (including the Leisure for All Team) to enable young people to access local activities which they may otherwise not be able to access without support.
- Contact: Stuart Ainge
Tel: 01942 608796
Special Schools
A number of special schools have received grants to deliver after school activities and school holiday activities for children and young people with a disability. For further information please contact your school.
Mainstream Schools
This funding is available for children and young people with a disability who are attending or on role at a mainstream school and wish to access extra curricular activity.
It is to pay for an extra member of a staff (this could be the child’s Personal Assistant or a teaching assistant) to support the child / young person to participate in extra curricular activity i.e. breakfast club, afterschool club or holiday provision. We will fund up to 2 hours per week during term time and up to 6 hours per week during school holidays.
For further information please contact your school.
Embrace Duke of Edinburgh and Holiday Scheme
Embrace is a voluntary organisation that provides that support children and young people with a disability. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is for young people aged 14 to 19 years with a disability. Young people are given the opportunity to achieve Bronze, Silver or Gold awards along side their peers.
The award is split into four sections and includes: expedition (this is a 3 night residential), physical, service (which is about giving something back to the community) and a skills section.
Embrace also provide activities for young people with disabilities aged 14 to 19 years during the summer holidays and October half term. Activities are determined in consultation with the young people and are designed to provide variety, stimulation and learning opportunities.
- Contact: Lynne Hamnett
Tel: 01942 513053
Embrace Parent Support
Embrace Wigan and Leigh provide both practical and emotional support to parents who have a child / young person with a disability aged 0-19years. Practical support includes providing information regarding existing services, information on disability rights, help with the completion of forms e.g. DLA (particularly for those who may have literacy problems), advocacy and advice and support re: housing and benefits. Emotional support is provided through a peer befriending model.
- Contact: Lynne Hamnett
Tel: 01942 513053
Wigan Leisure Culture Trust (WLCT)
WLCT received funding to provide leisure and sporting opportunities for children and young people with disabilities. Activities delivered vary in response to demand and have included disability specific activities such as boccia, new age kurling, goalball, sitting volleyball, wheels for all and rebound therapy and mainstream sports including football, tag rugby, cricket and athletics and multi skill activities centred around the fundamentals of agility, balance and co-ordination.
- Contact: Wigan Sports Development Team
Tel: 01942 404982
Befriending Service
The peer befriending programme was commissioned to provide support to young people aged 16-19 years with disabilities to do similar activities as their non disabled peers. This has included shopping, going for lunch, going to the cinema, going for beauty treatments and just ‘hanging out’ etc.
Where possible, young people are matched with a volunteer of a similar age. Due to increase in demand, the age range has been reduced to 10 – 19 years.
- Contact: Children’s Preventative Services
Tel: 01942 404419
WCVYS Youth Group
This is a voluntary organisation which has been funded to deliver weekly sessions for young people with a physical disability. Sessions (currently held on Thursday evenings) are held at Penson Street in Wigan and activities will be determined by the young people. No assessment is required. Numbers may be limited due to the size of the venue.
- Contact: Kelly Mills
Tel: 01942 825750
Friends of Families Caravan & Lodge
Friends of Families is a voluntary organisation that provide short break holidays at Ribby Hall Holiday Village (external link), near Blackpool.
Families are charged £195 for a week break (Monday - Friday) or a weekend break (Friday – Monday), including activity passes. This is heavily subsidised by the charity as typically it would cost between £400 - £500.
The caravan has two-bedrooms and is fully adapted, including accessible path and parking space, wide low-gradient ramped entrance with grab rail, wide doorways throughout, spacious lounge with an adjustable dining table and a potable hoist for the bedroom. The shower facility is also wheelchair friendly with a portable harnessed wheelchair for those children who cannot support their own body weight.
The lodge has three bedrooms (two twin and one double) and two bathrooms, one with shower cubical, sink and toilet and a larger bathroom with full size bath, sink and toilet. The lodge has been decorated throughout in muted colours and style taking into consideration the sensory needs of children and young people on the autistic spectrum. There is easy wheelchair access into the lodge and through into the lounge, dining and kitchen area and some limited wheelchair access to the bedrooms and bathrooms.
There is a large parking area directly in front of the lodge with a wide ramp onto the large decking area. A portable hoist is available which is stored in the shed adjacent to the lodge. The lodge is very well equipped with a large flat screen wall mounted TV, DVD Player, radio, TV with video / games player in one of the bedrooms and numerous board games etc.
- Contact: Gladys Jameson
Tel: 01942 863274
