Complex Care Short-Breaks Respite Facility - Market Engagement

The Regional Partnership Board brings together Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf local authorities, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, housing, third sector and wider partners to support integrated health and social care planning. Under regional governance arrangements, the Integrated Children’s Board is leading this exploratory work for children and young people.

The Integrated Children’s Board previously commissioned a feasibility study to better understand the needs of children with complex physical disabilities who cannot access existing short-break respite. This EOI is a further exploratory step to assess provider capability, capacity and interest in delivering a specialist service, and to inform any future commissioning approach.

Partners across Cwm Taf Morgannwg are exploring the need for a regional complex care short-breaks respite facility offering safe daytime, overnight and short-stay provision for children and young people with complex physical healthcare needs, while supporting families who provide full-time care.

Regional viability work has identified a group of children and young people with unmet needs whose healthcare requirements call for a more clinically supported model than existing short-break provision can offer. Children’s Community Nursing services have identified at least 38 children who may require this provision, alongside increasing demand, limited capacity and workforce pressures.

The likely level of clinical intervention means HIW registration may be required. This EOI will help test whether providers are already HIW registered, or able and willing to become registered, and whether they can mobilise and deliver a sustainable service.

Without an appropriate regional model, families may continue to face limited access to safe, person-centred short breaks, increasing the risk of crisis, statutory intervention, higher-cost placements and regional inequalities. Children with complex healthcare and physical needs may require support with:

• Airway and/or respiratory support, including tracheostomy, nasopharyngeal airway support, non-invasive ventilation and suction.
• Enteral feeding, including nasogastric, gastrostomy or jejunostomy feeding.
• Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN).
• Hickman line or Portacath management.
• Other complex health-related care requiring specialist clinical oversight or intervention.

Growing community nursing caseloads and increasing complexity of need reinforce the case for a regional model that reduces pressure on families and avoids escalation to emergency or long-term placements.

This work aligns with the Cwm Taf Morgannwg 10-Year Strategic Capital Plan and refresh, which identify accommodation and respite needs for children with complex health and disability-related needs as a regional priority. The 2025 viability study reinforced gaps in provision, growing demand and the need for an integrated health and social care response. This EOI will help determine whether there is a viable provider response to support future service development.