Get support to connect young people to their local community

Are you a parent or carer of a child or young person aged 0-18? 

Do you need breaks from your caring responsibilities but want to make sure your child has access to activities too?  

From 1st April 2022, our Community Connections service can help you. The service has three support options for children and young people aged 0-18 years, living in the Cheshire West & Chester area. 

Children and young people can take part in activities of their choice in their local community whilst allowing their parents or carers and other members of the family to have a break from their caring responsibilities. 

Our service offer is a great opportunity to access community activities, meet new friends and have some independence.

You can use this service if your child or young person:

• Lives in Cheshire West and Chester
• Gets either disability living allowance (DLA Middle or High Rate) or a personal independence payment (PIP Standard or Enhanced rate)
• Does not receive any funded support from Social Care

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

There are three options of support within the service:

Information and Advice

Support in identifying universal services within the local community that can provide activities for children and young people, where practical support is not required (such as support with personal care or medication). 

Practical Support

Provide initial support from a trained volunteer and/or support worker to children and young people to participate in an activity they have chosen. Support would be offered for a time-limited period to provide assistance to the activity provider to make sure children and young people are able to successfully participate in activities.

This provider support could include access to training, mentoring, and/or guidance to complete support plans and risk assessments.

Funding

Access to funding to pay for an activity which children and young people have chosen and provides a short break from caring responsibilities for parents/carers and siblings.  Funding can be used for:

• Fees for a youth club or other social clubs.
• Membership to a sports club or gym for the child or young person
• Specialist disability swimming lessons, dance lessons, trampoline clubs or horse riding
• School holiday clubs and/or before and after school activities which provide a short break but access to funding will not fund wraparound childcare.
• Paying for your child or young person to attend a residential break
• Paying for a carer or personal assistant to take the child or young person out on an activity
• Paying for a carer or personal assistant (Third Party) to accompany the child or young person on an overnight break.
• Paying for an agency to provide care in the child’s own home (this could include babysitting type services but not take place overnight)

You can apply for funding to pay for short break activities under £1,000; you apply once a year with some flexibility if you are unable to advise of exact costs at point of registration.

Find out more and register your interest in any or all of the options available at the Register Now button.