Update on Surrey Short Breaks Re-commissioning – Family Voice Surrey Position

We know many families are feeling concerned about the current Short Breaks re-commissioning process in Surrey. We want to share an update on where things stand and clearly set out Family Voice Surrey’s position.

Short Breaks Are a Lifeline

For many families, short breaks are not a “nice extra” – they are a vital support.
They enable children and young people to access activities, friendships and their community. They also give parent carers essential time to rest and sustain their caring role.
Short breaks must be reliable and predictable. When services that families depend on are reviewed or redesigned, the process must be well thought through, transparent and genuinely shaped by those who rely on them.

What Surrey County Council Is Proposing

Surrey County Council (SCC) has published information about its Play & Leisure Short Breaks re-commissioning and consultation process. This includes proposals linked to budget pressures and long-term sustainability.
As part of this process, SCC is proposing a reduction of £800,000 from the Play & Leisure Short Breaks 26/27 budget and families are being asked to respond now — at a time when there is also uncertainty around:

  • Local government reorganisation and shadow arrangements
  • Expected national SEND reforms
  • Changes to how services in Surrey may be commissioned in the future

SCC has stated that it expects “business as usual” for services during local government transition arrangements, with minimal impact for families. However, many families are already telling us that this period feels far from business as usual.

Budgets have been frozen. Decision-making has slowed. Wraparound support is diminishing as voluntary and community sector organisations struggle to meet increasing demand while trying to fill widening gaps.
Families need support and stability – not further disruption, reduction of services or unclear change.

Why Family Voice Surrey has Concerns

Family Voice Surrey has concerns about:

  • The timing of this process
  • The proposed reduction in budget
  • The quality and accessibility of engagement with parent carers

Demand for support continues to rise. Waiting lists are growing. Many families already tell us they do not receive the number of sessions their child needs.

We want to let members know that we were not involved in the consultation or survey design and were made aware of SCC’s intentions at very short notice. The announcement came just before Christmas, leaving little time for families to absorb the information or attend initial meetings. We strongly pushed back about the timing in the first instance.

We want to acknowledge that for many parent carers, this created significant anxiety at an already stressful time of year, particularly when parent carers are already telling us that confidence in SEND services is already very low.

We are also concerned that:

  • The timeline runs close to the May local elections, limiting transparency and scrutiny
  • National SEND reform and local government reform are expected soon, adding further uncertainty
  • Decisions about reducing costs are being explored at a time when need is increasing
  • Most importantly, we do not feel that the impact of reducing short breaks for children and their families is fully appreciated or understood

True engagement means that families can shape decisions – not simply respond to proposals after the direction has already been set.

What We Have Raised on Your Behalf

At the Additional Needs and Disabilities Partnership Board in January, we clearly raised these concerns.

We are:

  • Attending parent carer information sessions and drop-ins to raise concerns directly and from a collective Parent Carer perspective
  • Attending provider briefings
  • Regularly sharing the consultation survey and online/drop in sessions
  • Feeding back concerns that the survey is lengthy, complex and difficult to navigate
  • For transparency Family Voice Surrey were not involved in shaping the survey

What Happens Next

Surrey County Council Cabinet is due to consider the outcome of the consultation on 26th May 2026.
Between now and then, Family Voice Surrey will continue to challenge and push for:

  • Meaningful parent carer involvement
  • Clear, accessible information
  • Proper co-production – not last-minute engagement
  • Protection of short breaks as a vital support and
  • Clarity about what proposals mean in practice
  • Safeguards to protect families’ rights

Our Commitment to You

We want families to know that we are taking this seriously.
We will continue to represent parent carer views robustly and transparently. We will share updates as soon as we receive further information.
We recognise the emotional energy it takes to engage, especially when the system feels exhausting. Your experiences matter, and we will continue to raise them.

Please Have Your Say

We fully appreciate that the survey is not accessible to all and requires a time commitment of at least 30 minutes but we strongly encourage you to feed into this process in any way you can. The information gathered will be used to inform decision-making. Here are some ways to feed in:

The consultation closes on  4th March

Your voice is essential.

Warm wishes
Family Voice Surrey