(UK) Shrops: Council to provide respite care for special needs families

Nov 12, 2025, Shropshire.gov: Shropshire Council awards new contract for Overnight Short Breaks for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2025/11/shropshire-council-awards-new-contract-for-overnight-short-breaks-for-children-and-young-people-with-special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-send

Shropshire Council is pleased to announce that Shaftesbury has been awarded the contract to provide Overnight Short Breaks to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for at least the next three years. The award of the contract follows the completion of the formal tender and procurement process. Shaftesbury will begin providing Overnight Short Breaks from April 1, 2026.

Shaftesbury is a national disability charity that delivers vital disability care and support services across the UK for adults and children including residential care, nursing care, supported living, day care and domiciliary care.  Shaftesbury has a long history in Shropshire and recently developed a Supported Living facility in Shrewsbury, working closely with Shropshire Council. Shaftesbury also runs three accredited education centres providing specialised education, therapy and care for young people with disabilities, aged three to 25.

Short breaks are a vital resource for children and young people with SEND, offering them opportunities to enjoy activities, groups and trips away from the family home. Short breaks not only provide enriching experiences for children and young people, but also offer much-needed respite for parent carers. Children and young people who are eligible for Overnight Short Breaks have all received a social work assessment and are allocated a number of nights per year. . . .

The decision to award the contact to Shaftesbury follows a full, transparent, rigorous and legally robust procurement process. The Shropshire Parent Carer Council (PACC) was consulted throughout the commissioning and tender evaluation process, providing valuable insights into the needs of parent carers and children with SEND. The new Overnight Short Breaks service is a positive response to the feedback from families, and has been designed and commissioned to provide an improved service that will ensure best possible outcomes and value for money.

Councillor Ruth Houghton, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services, said:

We are pleased to award the contract for Overnight Short Breaks to Shaftesbury, who have an outstanding track record in this area. We all look forward to working closely with Shaftesbury so that parent carers who have children with SEND can get the most out of a service that they need to support them in their ongoing caring responsibilities. . . .