Some families of disabled children in Norfolk are currently waiting up to 16 weeks to receive Short Breaks support — a statutory service that provides respite care and activities for children with disabilities and their families.

Cabinet Member for Children, Families and SEND Cllr Wendy Atkinson told the meeting that the 16-week figure represents the longest wait experienced by a small number of families, and is not typical. She said most applications receive an initial eligibility decision within approximately one week, with support plans then taking around eight weeks to develop.

Atkinson attributed the delays to workforce capacity problems and sustained demand for the service. Additional temporary staff have been brought in to tackle the backlog, and the council expects waiting times to return to normal levels by September 2026.

The council also confirmed that a new online booking system for Short Breaks activities went live on 1 July 2026. The system allows eligible families at Universal and Additional support levels to browse activities, make bookings and manage their provision online. Providers are being added to the system on an ongoing basis to increase choice and geographical coverage across the county.

Cllr Maxine Webb, who raised the issue, questioned whether the council's new Circle of Support model — introduced to take a more outcomes-focused approach to assessing children's needs — had contributed to the delays. Atkinson said the model was not considered the primary cause of the current backlog.

Families are being added to the new booking system on a phased basis, with the council gathering feedback from both families and providers to make further improvements.