A report on themes emerging from qualitative research into the impact of short break provision on families with disabled children

The analysis discussed in this report builds upon and extends the findings from the preliminary report. Six main themes were identified from the data and are presented in separate sections. The first focuses upon the ways in which disabled children and their families use short breaks, identifying the range of short breaks we encountered during the research. The next theme looks at the physical location of short breaks and how access issues and the suitability of the location and venue can affect their beneficial impact. The ways in which information and communication affect access to and experience of short breaks is considered in the third theme. What families and disabled children want from the people who provide the short breaks forms the focus of the fourth theme. The relationship between family members and short breaks carers is considered in the fifth theme and the final theme examines issues around sustainability and support for disabled children and their families to lead normal lives