Short breaks statement - meeting the needs of disabled children

Every disabled child is different.

For example, a child may have severe needs in their learning but mild needs for their mobility. We use this tool to help explain the differing levels of capabilities that disabled children may have for our short break assessments:

Behavioural and social interaction

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Some behaviour difficulties; mild, transient or infrequent. Can be managed without any special provision.
Moderate	Behavioural problems severe or frequent enough to require some specialist provision, but not at all the time.
Severe	Diagnosed physical and/or severe learning disability that makes it difficult to function within their family or peer group most of the time unless special provision is made. This does not include children with autism or ADHD unless accompanied by a severe learning disability.
Profound	Diagnosed physical and/or severe learning disability affecting all aspects of the child’s functioning and behaviour that places child and carers at risk.

Communication

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Delayed language development only.
Moderate	Delayed and/or disordered language development causing significant difficulty in communication outside the home. Speech supplemented by signing or communication aid. Inability to use speech in a socially interactive manner.
Severe	None or very little speech used but able to communicate at least basic needs using speech, signing or communication aids, according to chronological age. For example, severe autism with low IQ and severe sensory dysfunction.
Profound	Unable to communicate needs by any method. Unable to use communication aid.

Consciousness

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Occasional daytime seizure, up to one per day.
Moderate	Some seizures most weeks, day or night.
Severe	Many seizures on most days and nights. Development or education adversely affected.
Profound	In a coma, or intractable seizures in frequent succession.

Continence

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Slight difficulties but manages independently. Over 5 and regularly wets the bed at night. Dry by day.
Moderate	Over 8 with occasional daytime wetting. Over 5 and soils occasionally. Over 11 with regular night time wetting. Possibility of improvement with training and support.
Severe	Severe learning disability or severe physical disability with continence unlikely to improve with training and support (behaviour may include smearing).
Profound	Older child with a severe learning disability or severe physical disability completely dependent on carer to be clean or dry. No control of either bowel or bladder.

Fine motor

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Some difficulty with play, writing or drawing e.g. tremor, unsteadiness, lack of fine control. Young child functioning slightly behind the level expected for age.
Moderate	Hand movement only with considerate difficulty or requiring aid or assistance. Young child functioning around half the level expected for age.
Severe	Mostly unable to use hands effectively but able to use switch systems, for example to operate toys, computers, wheelchairs or communication aid.
Profound	Unable to operate even simple aids or switch systems. Totally dependent on others.

Hearing and vision

We have arranged special activities for children with significant hearing or visual impairment.

These are provided by:

Learning

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Pre-school child performance slightly behind that expected for age. Education assessment recommends differentiated curriculum or individual or small group support to supplement core subjects. School age child in mainstream.
Moderate	Pre-school child functions around the level typical of a child who is two thirds of their chronological age. School age child with MLD (mild learning disabilities) and with multiple needs. Education assessment shows attainment outside expected range of levels for key stage on a core subject.
Severe	Pre-school child functioning around the level typical of a child who is half their chronological age. A school age child or young person who has a severe learning or severe physical disability whose educational assessment shows that the national curriculum must be significantly modified to support their learning needs and who is working significantly below expected levels.
Profound	Pre-school child functioning around the level typical of a child who is less than one third of their chronological age. A school age child or young person who has a severe learning or severe physical disability whose educational assessment shows that the national curriculum must be totally modified to support their learning needs and who is working completely below expected levels.

Mobility

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Able to walk but with some limitation for example walks more slowly, unable to run. Young child mobility functioning slightly behind the level expected for age.
Moderate	Able to walk, but only with aids. May have wheelchair for intermittent use. Young child mobility functioning around half of the level expected for age.
Severe	Unable to walk, wheelchair user. May be able to stand/transfer with support. Able to manoeuvre self at least some of the time in a wheelchair.
Profound	Totally dependent on carer for mobility, in wheelchair or buggy and over age 3.

Personal care

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Slight difficulties with eating, drinking, washing or dressing but manages independently. Young child functioning slightly behind the level expected for age.
Moderate	Supervision and/or assistance required for some activities with or without the use of aids. Young child functioning around two thirds of the level expected for age.
Severe	Supervision and/or assistance required for most activities most of the time, bearing in mind the child/young person’s chronological age.
Profound	Over 5 and total care required. No assistance from the child/young person.

Physical health

Severity	Capability of child
Mild	Known persistent disease, under control and only occasionally interfering with everyday activities in a minor way.
Moderate	Intermittent but regular limitation of normal activities. May interfere with education or development.
Severe	Long term severe and significant interference with ‘normal’ activities associated with a physical and/or learning disability, or life-limiting condition which is degenerative.
Profound	Unable to take part in any social or education activities. Total medical/nursing support required.