Aim Higher Consultation
AIMING HIGH FOR DISABLED CHILDREN - PARENT/CARER SURVEY
On line and Paper Based Questionnaire
Open from June 23rd 2008 – August 30th 2008
Headline results
o 453 paper based questionnaires distributed to families of disabled children
o The questionnaire was available for completion on line via the North Somerset Council website and this was widely promoted via parents groups and schools
o 154 responses were received (34%). Response rates of 10% to 15% are generally agreed as a good response rate to a postal questionnaire
o 5 responses were received after the closing date – all from parents of pre school aged disabled children using specialist provision. Their responses are not included in the data below but their responses and comments reflect the main themes emerging from this survey.
o 90% of respondents said their child/young person had benefited significantly from using short breaks
o 91% said their family as a whole had benefited from short breaks provision
NOTE - Not all questions were answered by all respondents and 5 responses were received after the closing date – all from parents of pre school aged disabled children using specialist provision. Their responses are not included in the data below but their responses and comments reflect the main themes emerging from this survey.
1 Profile of respondents
Total number of children/young people living in the household of respondents by age group:
Age group / Numbers of children/young peopleAged under 3 / 4% (12)
3-4 / 6% (15)
5-7 / 17% (45)
8-10 / 24% (65)
11-13 / 22% (59)
14-19 / 28% (75)
TOTAL / 100% (271 individuals)
Total number of DISABLED CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE living in household of respondents by age group:
Age group
/ Numbers of children/young peopleAged under 3 / 3% (4)
3-4 / 6% (8)
5-7 / 12% (17)
8-10 / 21% (31)
11-13 / 19% (27)
14-19 / 33% (49)
Not specified / 65 (8)
TOTAL / 100% (144 individuals)
School attended by disabled children/young people:
School / ResultsBaytree / 18% (26)
Ravenswood / 22% (32)
Westhaven / 16% (23)
Mainstream school / 32% (47)
Other - outside of North Somerset) / 13% (19)
TOTAL / 100% (147 individuals)
2 Short breaks services currently or recently used
Parents and carers were asked to indicate which short breaks their disabled child of young person was using currently or had used in the last 12 months and planned to use again
Activity / Uses now / Used in last 12 months and will use again / Total number of familiesAfter school club / 19 / 10 / 29
Avalon / 11 / 0 / 11
Before school/breakfast club / 3 / 1 / 4
Buddy scheme / 14 / 4 / 18
Childminder / 5 / 0 / 5
Clubs e.g. sports, cubs, brownies etc / 24 / 3 / 27
Crossroads sitting service / 19 / 3 / 22
Family Link / 12 / 0 / 12
Family Support Worker / 7 / 7 / 14
Playscheme Weston / 25 / 10 / 35
Playscheme – Portishead / 30 / 11 / 41
NCH Professional carers / 3 / 1 / 4
Nursery/pre-school / 5 / 3 / 8
Youth Club / 25 / 3 / 28
Other / 21 / 3 / 24
3 Parents and carers were asked to rate their satisfaction levels with short breaks services currently being used
Activity / Very satisfied / Fairly satisfied / Fairly dissatisfied / Very dissatisfied / Total number respondingAfter school club / 24 (88%) / 3
(11%) / 0 / 0 / 25
Avalon / 8 (72%) / 2
(18%) / 1
(9%) / 0 / 11
Before school or breakfast club / 3 (100%) / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3
Buddy scheme / 11 (64%) / 6
(35%) / 0 / 0 / 17
Childminder / 5
(83%) / 1
(16%) / 0 / 0 / 6
Clubs e.g. sports, cubs, brownies etc / 16
(72%) / 5
(22%) / 1
(4%) / 0 / 22
Crossroads sitting service / 15
(68%) / 7
(31%) / 0 / 0 / 22
Family Link / 11 (84%) / 2 (15%) / 0 / 0 / 13
Family Support Worker / 11 (84%) / 1 (7%) / 1 (7%) / 0 / 13
Playscheme Weston / 27 (81%) / 6 (18%) / 0 / 0 / 33
Playscheme – Portishead / 29 (78%) / 6 (16%) / 1 (2%) / 1 (2%) / 37
NCH Professional carers / 4 (100%) / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4
Nursery/pre-school / 6
(85%) / 1
(14%) / 0 / 0 / 7
Youth Club / 16
(64%0 / 8
(32%) / 0 / 1
(4%) / 23
Other / 16
(80%) / 4
(20%) / 0 / 0 / 20
Table shows % of parents/carers reporting that they were “VERY SATISFIED” 
with various short breaks services
4 Parents and carers were asked to rate the QUALITY, RELIABILITY, FLEXIBILITY AND SUITABIITY of each short break service currently being used
4.1 Ratings for the QUALITY OF CARE provided by various short breaks services
Activity / Very good / Good / Okay / Poor / Very poor / Total number respondingAfter school club / 21 / 4 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 26
Avalon / 6 / 4 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 11
Before school or breakfast club / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2
Buddy scheme / 7 / 6 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 16
Childminder / 6 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6
Clubs e.g. sports, cubs, brownies etc / 14 / 8 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 24
Crossroads sitting service / 17 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 20
Family Link / 13 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 15
Family Support Worker / 7 / 3 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 12
Playscheme Weston / 25 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 1 / 34
Playscheme – Portishead / 26 / 10 / 1 / 1 / 3 / 41
NCH Professional carers / 4 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 5
Nursery/pre-school / 8 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 9
Youth Club / 10 / 9 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 25
Other / 13 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 15
4.2 Ratings for the RELIABILITY of various short break services
Activity / Very good / Good / Okay / Poor / Very poor / Total number respondingAfter school club / 14 / 4 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 20
Avalon / 5 / 5 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 10
Before school or breakfast club / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2
Buddy scheme / 9 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 0 / 15
Childminder / 5 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 6
Clubs e.g. sports, cubs, brownies etc / 9 / 6 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 17
Crossroads sitting service / 9 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 0 / 17
Family Link / 7 / 3 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 13
Family Support Worker / 6 / 1 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 9
Playscheme Weston / 21 / 4 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 27
Playscheme – Portishead / 22 / 9 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 34
NCH Professional carers / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 5
Nursery/pre-school / 8 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 8
Youth Club / 12 / 8 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 22
Other / 9 / 3 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 13
4.3 Ratings for the AVAILABILITY at times to suit the needs of children and parents
Activity / Very good / Good / Okay / Poor / Very poor / Total number respondingAfter school club / 9 / 5 / 5 / 0 / 1 / 20
Avalon / 1 / 3 / 2 / 4 / 0 / 10
Before school or breakfast club / 1 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 3
Buddy scheme / 7 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 16
Childminder / 3 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1 / 5
Clubs e.g. sports, cubs, brownies etc / 8 / 6 / 1 / 2 / 0 / 17
Crossroads sitting service / 8 / 7 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 18
Family Link / 5 / 2 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 12
Family Support Worker / 2 / 5 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 11
Playscheme Weston / 13 / 7 / 7 / 1 / 0 / 28
Playscheme – Portishead / 13 / 9 / 10 / 0 / 2 / 34
NCH Professional carers / 2 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 5
Nursery/pre-school / 3 / 2 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 8
Youth Club / 8 / 5 / 6 / 3 / 1 / 23
Other / 11 / 2 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 15
4.4 Ratings for the perceived SUITABILITY FOR CHILD’S NEEDS
Activity / Very good / Good / Okay / Poor / Very poor / Total number respondingAfter school club / 15 / 4 / 1 / 0 / 0
Avalon / 6 / 3 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 11
Before school or breakfast club / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2
Buddy scheme / 11 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 15
Childminder / 3 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4
Clubs e.g. sports, cubs, brownies etc / 6 / 7 / 4 / 1 / 0 / 18
Crossroads sitting service / 11 / 4 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 16
Family Link / 7 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 10
Family Support Worker / 8 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 10
Playscheme Weston / 14 / 7 / 5 / 0 / 1 / 27
Playscheme – Portishead / 20 / 8 / 3 / 0 / 3 / 34
NCH Professional carers / 3 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 5
Nursery/pre-school / 6 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7
Youth Club / 9 / 7 / 3 / 1 / 1 / 21
Other / 13 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 13
Charts at the end of this report show this information graphically.
5 Parents/carers were asked if their disabled child/children had used any of the breaks listed in the past 12 months but Would NOT be using them again. They were asked to say which ones and explain why they would not be used again
31 people answered this question.
Activity / CommentsAfter school club / Not local enough – transport issues
Only lasted for 8 weeks
Avalon / Changed provider
Buddy scheme / Buddy too involved with A’levels
Needs someone older
Been on waiting list for ages
Can’t find one suitable
Clubs e.g. sports, cubs, brownies etc / Tried once but won’t return
Guides/Scouts – reached age limit
Family Link / On waiting list
Over 18
Family Support Worker / Withdrawn – say we don’t meet criteria
No longer required
Playschemes / Too noisy, too many people
Not long enough sessions
Not all day
Leaves out other children
Noisy
NCH Professional carers / Not suitable for my child
Youth Club / Weston not well organised
NAS Youth Club – child doesn’t feel comfortable – doesn’t fit in
6 Parents who had not used any short breaks provision in the last 12 months were asked to give their reasons for this (they could choose more than one reason)
Option / ResultsI/we don't feel we need short breaks / 3% (2)
I/we don't know what is available or how to access it
/ 38% (28)My child/children do not like going / 7% (5)
There are no short break services that I trust or feel confident about / 3% (2)
I have had a bad experience in the past / 3% (2)
Those available are too inconvenient to get to / 11% (8)
There is no service that I feel would meet my child's needs / 8% (6)
Available services do not fit in with my work/family needs / 7% (5)
There are no vacancies with the short breaks I would like to use / 4% (3)
I have been told that my child cannot attend / 5% (4)
Other (please specify) / 11% (8)
Main reasons for not using short breaks:
o Not knowing what is available or how to access it
o Provision being inconvenient to get to
o Provision not felt to meet child’s needs
7 Parents were asked how well they thought currently available short breaks services met the needs of specific groups of disabled children and young people
Main themes:
o Over half respondents in each category rated current short break provision as either good or very good
o Respondents rated the following provision for the groups as either “poor” or “very poor” – children with moving and handling issues requiring equipment and adaptations (24%), children and young people with challenging behaviour (23%), children and young people with mental health issues (20%), children and young people with life limiting conditions (18%) and children and young people with PMLD (18%)
8 Parents were asked which types of short break provision they would most like to see developed – they could indicate more than one choice
Option / ResultsOvernight breaks with care available in the child's own home / 7% (34)
Overnight breaks with care available away from home with foster carers / 3% (15)
Overnight breaks with care available in a residential setting / 6% (28)
Breaks during the day with care available in the child's own home / 8% (38)
Breaks during the day with care available away from home with foster carers / 3% (15)
Breaks during the day with care available away from home in a residential setting / 4% (22)
Breaks provided by befriending/buddying schemes / 14% (70)
Provision which is more sensitive to the racial, cultural or religious background of children and their families / 0% (1)
More breaks through activities available to all children - for example - childminders, clubs, playschemes and after school clubs / 15% (73)
More breaks available during school holidays / 17% (84)
More breaks available during evenings and weekends / 12% (60)
Short breaks available to respond to urgent or emergency needs / 9% (42)
Other (please specify) / 2% (10