Our Partnership with Gloucestershire Children’s Services and Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance has moved into its final year so here is a quick rundown of what has been achieved so far. 

Recap: what is the Short Breaks Partnership 

A two-year, £2.5million collaboration between Barnwood Trust, Gloucestershire Children’s Services, and Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance. The Partnership will run until April 2027 and aims to explore innovative ways of providing and commissioning Short Breaks. Ten projects have been funded and Collaborate CIC have been commissioned to deliver an independent evaluation of the programme.

10 key takeaways 

So, what have we learned:  

1. Children and young people are happier, more confident and thriving 

Across programmes, disabled children and young people showed increased confidence, independence and emotional wellbeing. Providers reported how many were more able to express themselves, try new things, and engage socially with their peers.  

2. A strong sense of belonging is at the heart of impact 

For many participants, this was the first space where they felt fully accepted. Young people consistently reported feeling less isolated and more connected.

3. Short Breaks are transforming family wellbeing 

Parents and carers experienced real, meaningful respite – reducing stress and burnout. In some cases, families were able to reconnect and enjoy time together in ways that had not been possible before.  

4. Demand for this type of provision is high – and growing 

Across the partnership, demand quickly outstripped supply. Many programmes filled to capacity, highlighting a high level of need across the county.  

5. The Fund is reaching families who were previously excluded 

A high proportion of families engaged had never accessed Short Breaks before. This shows the model of open-access breaks within communities is effective at reaching those who traditional approaches often miss.  

6. Transport and accessibility are critical to inclusion 

Without support such as funded transport, many children – particularly those in rural areas or from lower-income households – simply would not be able to attend.  

7. Relationships, trust and consistency are what makes provision work 

Impact is built over time. Consistent staff, relationship-led approaches and safe, understanding environments enabled children and families to engage and benefit. 

8. Flexible, trust-based funding drives better outcomes 

Allowing partners to adapt delivery in response to need made provision more effective. Programmes that evolved based on feedback saw stronger engagement and impact.  

9. The workforce has grown in confidence, skills and capacity 

Providers reported staff and volunteers developing specialist SEND knowledge and confidence, strengthening the local workforce and improving the quality and sustainability of provision.  

10.  The impact goes beyond individual projects – changing the wider system 

The work is influencing schools, services, communities, and ultimately, commissioning. From improved understanding of neurodivergence to reduced pressure on other services, the benefits are extending well beyond the activities themselves.  

In short, we are learning that there is a different way to design, deliver and commission services that is driven by those who use them and rely upon them. We have learned the importance of removing barriers to access in the design stage and have seen the impact of this:

What next?  

Now, we want to build on this momentum with a focus on person-centred, early intervention to help disabled people thrive and prevent crisis.  

Learning from the Partnership to date has been used to redesign how Short Breaks are commissioned in Gloucestershire. Plans for this are being developed and will be made public later this year.  

Providers commissioned through this new process will start delivering across Gloucestershire from 1st April 2027.