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There are only a few SEND specific clubs for SEND. But, we also encourage all universal activity and childcare providers to be inclusive for children and young people with SEND. How inclusive a mainstream activity or club can be will depend on the complexity of your child or young persons' individual needs.
Free holiday provision available to children and young people aged 5 to 16 who are eligible for benefit related Free School Meals (FSM) or are Electively Home Educated (EHE).
Childcare is available in Torbay through a variety of providers including childminders, pre-schools and out of school care such as breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs and holiday play schemes.
Dart Sailability is a charity that enables anybody with a physical or mental disability to enjoy sailing, boating and social activities on the beautiful River Dart. All ages are welcome. Run by volunteers (of which we never have enough), we take to the water as often as possible tides permitting, from spring to mid autumn. Some boats can accommodate wheelchairs and we have hoists to give easy access to the other boats. Our simple rule of thumb is "if you can sit you can sail"!
Devon FA Disability Football offers a range of football opportunities for disabled people in Devon, including the disability football league (Devon Ability Counts), wheelchair football, deaffriendly football clubs, Torbay and Plymouth mental health football tournaments and an Exeter Downs Syndrome football progamme.
The Disabled Sailing Association is a Torquay-based sailing charity, run for the disabled, by the disabled.
SATURDAY CLUBS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIESOur Enrichment Groups are split into THREE Age Ranges
Little Senses is a multi-sensory stay and play based support group for children aged 0-5 years with SEND.
Weekly, Thursday evening, term-time club for young people with Autism Spectrum Conditions opperated by Play Torbay.
The club provides an excellent centre for young people with disabilities in Torbay and arts, sports, drama and trips for disabled and non-disabled young people.
The Play Cafe in Torquay runs a SEN exclusive session between 9am and 10m on Sundays.
South Devon School of Gymnastics Athletes of all abilities are welcome. Offers classes for recreational and competitive gymnasts with a wide variety of special needs. Its special needs squad competes at national level at Special Olympic competitions.
The Torbay Special Needs Playscheme operates every school holiday except Bank holidays. All children attending have severe to profound physical and/or learning disabilities. The Saturday club operates every Saturday. We have a younger group for 5 to 12 years and an older group for 12 to 17 years and these operate on alternate Saturdays. All the groups are run from Brunel Academy.
Torbay Velopark is able to provide specially adapted bikes for use by disabled people. Bikes include specially made trikes, a tandem and junior and senior recumbent bikes.
Turning Heads is a community interest company that is helping to build a community that values and empowers togetherness.
Wheelchair football and games for wheelchair users of any age. Open to manual chair and power chair users. Those who need a push are also welcome as long as pushers accompany them. Anyone interested can turn up but it’s advisable to contact Ashley Harris before attending.
The Phoenix group is for young people living with learning disabilities, physical disabilities or who are socially isolated. The group offers a safe place to get together and socialise.
A weekly club, social and support group for children and young people on the Autistic spectrum and their siblings, (which may or may not be diagnosed), whilst also supporting and signposting parents, reducing feelings of isolation. The aim of the group is to encourage social interaction, cooperative play personal awareness and a better understanding of self and others.
Short Breaks provide children and young people with disabilities with an opportunity to spend time away from their parents or primary carers, relaxing and having fun with their friends. They provide families with a ‘break’ from their caring responsibilities; they give parents a chance to unwind rest or spend time with other children.
The Government requires every local authority to produce a Short Breaks Statement so that disabled children, young people and their families know what services are available and how they can access them.The purpose of this statement is to give information about Short Breaks, including what they are, how families can access them and how individuals can get involved in influencing what types of Short Breaks are provided to families in Torbay in the future.This statement is for the parents and carers of children between the ages of 0-18 years, with a disability, and offers information on provision and services available which will promote the health, safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
Children and young people are eligible for short breaks when they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term effect on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.
Following a needs assessment, as described within the full Torbay Children with Disabilities (CWD) Elgibility Criteria, the Children with Disabilities (CWD) Team will usually only provide services to children and young people who have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial long term adverse effect at a severe or profound level as further explained within the full Torbay Children with Disabilities (CWD) Eligibility Criteria.
Some children and young people will have disabilities but will not have needs that require the specialist support and resources provided by the Children with Disability (CWD) Team. These will usually include children and young people who:
In Torbay, parents or carers of children and young people with disabilities who meet the Children with Disability Team Criteria can access Short Breaks in the following ways:
If the allocated social worker identifies that some support to access Short Breaks would be beneficial for the child and family, the completed assessment will be used to identify what level and type of Short Breaks a family may need to support them in their caring role. These assessments for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities (SEND) are usually carried out by a Children with Disability (CWD) Team Social Woker. A discussion will take place on the Short Breaks options available to the family and choose one or more that best meet identified needs from services available under the Local Offer. Should the family feel that nothing on offer meets their needs, they can discuss other options with their Professional and together can design a bespoke, package of short breaks.
After a Short Breaks plan has been agreed by the Access to Resources panel, as required to meet the family’s needs, they are included in a personal budget. A Short Breaks plan will only be made following a social care Single Assessment of need or review of a child or young person's care plan.
A Direct Payment is money given to families who have been assessed as needing social care support and would like to arrange and pay for the services themselves instead of receiving them directly from the Council.If we say you are eligible to receive services paid for by the Council, you can choose:
Torbay Children’s Disability Team is working together with adult social care to make the transition fromChildren’s to Adult’s Services an exciting and optimistic time for young people.
