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Supported Waiting

Following a successful bid for one year's funding from the Department for Education in April 2024, Essex County Council (ECC) 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 and their families accepted onto Essex neurodevelopmental pathways can now enjoy:

  • holiday activity days and family days at Essex Outdoors (until the end of February half term 2025)

  • max cards to national attractions 

  • tickets to local attractions 

  • SENDIASS practical workshops for parent carers (until the end of February 2025)

This expanded Short Breaks Offer is part of ECC’s early help approach. ECC have worked 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 and tickets directly. 

Part of the work also includes the development of 15 films to support parent carers, families and education settings to best support a neurodivergent child. You can see the videos here

The funding ends on 31st March 2025 and we welcome your views on the changes. Please share your views through this survey: https://forms.office.com/e/HrbWN0YK9i