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Supported Waiting

Following a successful bid for funding from the Department for Education, Essex County Council have expanded the Short Breaks offer to include children and young people awaiting a diagnostic assessment for Autism (and other forms of neurodiversity such as ADHD) through a local neurodiversity pathway.

Children accepted onto Essex neurodevelopmental pathways can now enjoy:

  • summer holiday activity days and family days at Essex Outdoors

  • max cards to national attractions 

  • tickets to local attractions 

At Essex Outdoors children and young people have the opportunity to take part in up to four fun and challenging activities each day with professional instructors to give parents and carers peace of mind and ensure a memorable day. These fantastic inclusive days are funded by the DfE Short Breaks Innovation Fund for children and young people registered with Short Breaks under the scheme. 

Activities will vary depending on which centre and date you book and are located at Bradwell Sailing Centre, Danbury, Harlow and Mersea.

This newly expanded Short Breaks Offer is part of ECC’s early help approach. ECC are working closely with Health, Education and Social Care to support children and young people awaiting diagnostic assessment for Autism. 

To access this provision a parent carer of a child or young person awaiting diagnostic assessment can register here . They will need supporting documents that set out that the child or young person has been accepted on to a local neurodevelopmental pathway and is awaiting diagnostic assessment. 

Once registered the parent carer can log into their digital account and access max cards, tickets and Essex Outdoors. 

Please be aware that the number of registrations being received is high and so they may take up to three weeks to be processed. If you have registered and are waiting for your registration to be processed you can book your child on to Essex Outdoors, please follow this direct link and Essex Outdoors will book you in: Short Breaks Activity Days | Essex Outdoors 

SENDIASS are delivering workshops for families of children on the Autism diagnosis pathway throughout the year as part of the work to support families. Email sally.grainger@essex.gov.uk  for info or to sign up.