Special People Holiday Services

What is Holiday Support?

Special People provides bespoke holiday and travel support for children, young people and adults who need assistance while travelling or spending time away from home.

We understand that travelling with a disability, complex health condition or additional support need can require careful planning. Our trained support workers can accompany an individual or family on holidays in the UK or abroad, helping to maintain important care routines while supporting the person to enjoy new activities and experiences safely.

We can also support individuals and families visiting the UK who need temporary care during their stay.

Every arrangement is planned around the individual’s assessed needs, preferences, communication, health requirements and travel plans. Support is subject to assessment, staffing availability and confirmation that we can safely meet the person’s needs at the proposed destination.

Who is Holiday Support for?

Our Holiday Support service may be suitable for children and adults with:

• Autism and sensory processing needs

• Learning disabilities, including profound and multiple learning disabilities

• Physical disabilities and mobility needs

• Complex health or clinical support needs

• Epilepsy or a risk of seizures

• PEG or enteral feeding requirements

• Respiratory or tracheostomy support needs

• Catheter or continence-care needs

• Acquired brain injuries

• Neurological conditions

• Mental health support needs

• Communication difficulties

• Anxiety associated with changes in routine or unfamiliar environments

We also support families who need a trained worker to care for their relative for agreed periods during a holiday.

Suitability is confirmed through an individual assessment.

Pre-travel assessment and planning

Before the holiday, we work with the person, their family and relevant professionals to understand the proposed journey and the support required.

Planning may include:

• Reviewing the current care and support plan

• Reviewing health plans and existing risk assessments

• Understanding daily routines, preferences and communication needs

• Assessing the accessibility of accommodation and transport

• Considering environmental factors such as heat, terrain, noise and crowds

• Identifying nearby medical facilities and emergency arrangements

• Planning medication, feeding and clinical-care routines

• Reviewing mobility, transfer, seating and equipment requirements

• Preparing for sensory needs, anxiety or changes in routine

• Agreeing staffing levels, shift arrangements and overnight support

• Planning handovers and communication with family members

Where travel documentation or medical authorisation is required, we can work with the family and relevant healthcare professionals to support appropriate preparation. The family remains responsible for obtaining passports, visas, insurance and any formal medical or travel documents required.

Support during the journey

Our support workers can provide assistance throughout the journey, according to the agreed care plan.

This may include:

• Help with check-in, security and boarding

• Liaison with airport or transport special-assistance teams

• Mobility and wheelchair support

• Assistance with transfers and positioning

• Medication support at scheduled times

• Feeding and hydration support

• Monitoring for seizures or changes in wellbeing

• Communication support and advocacy

• Sensory and emotional regulation support

• Reassurance in unfamiliar or busy environments

• Assistance with personal care during longer journeys

Any specialist or clinical task is provided only by a worker who has completed the necessary training and competency assessment for that individual.

Support at the destination

Holiday support can continue throughout the person’s stay and may include:

• Personal care and daily routines

• Medication support

• Mealtime and feeding assistance

• Mobility, transfer and postural support

• Support with clinical procedures included in the care plan

• Accompanying the person to attractions, restaurants or family events

• Support to access beaches, leisure activities and community facilities

• Communication and advocacy with accommodation or activity providers

• Support with anxiety, sensory overwhelm or changes in routine

• Monitoring health and wellbeing

• Recording care provided and relevant observations

The level of assistance can range from support for several agreed hours to continuous care as part of a wider 24-hour package.

Overnight holiday support

Where required, waking-night or sleeping-night support may be included in the holiday arrangement.

A waking-night worker remains awake throughout the agreed shift and provides planned or responsive care during the night.

A sleeping-night worker stays at the accommodation and may sleep when support is not needed but remains available to respond to occasional overnight needs. Suitable sleeping arrangements must be available.

The appropriate model is determined through assessment and depends on the frequency and complexity of the person’s night-time needs.

Time for families and carers

Holiday support can allow parents, relatives and primary carers to take a break while knowing their family member is being supported by a trained professional.

A support worker may care for the individual for agreed periods so that family members can rest, attend an activity or spend time together without being solely responsible for care throughout the holiday.

The responsibilities of the worker and the periods when they will take over care are agreed in advance.

Emergency planning

An emergency plan is agreed before travel and forms part of the individual’s holiday support plan.

Where an urgent health or safety concern occurs, the support worker will:

• Follow the person’s agreed emergency procedures

• Provide assistance within their training and competence

• Contact local emergency services when required

• Inform the family or agreed representative

• Notify the Special People on-call team

• Record and report the incident in accordance with organisational procedures

Families should arrange appropriate travel insurance that covers the individual’s health conditions, equipment and planned activities.

Support for visitors to the UK

We can consider short-term support for children and adults visiting the UK from overseas.

Depending on the assessment, this may include:

• Support for a few agreed hours

• Personal care and daily-living assistance

• Support during family, social or business engagements

• Community and activity support

• Overnight care

• Support as part of a temporary 24-hour arrangement

Relevant care information, medication instructions and clinical protocols must be available before support begins.

Referrals and assessments

We welcome enquiries from:

• Individuals and families

• Local authorities and social workers

• NHS Continuing Healthcare teams

• Health and social care professionals

• People using a Personal Health Budget

• People arranging and funding their own support

• Overseas families visiting the UK

Following an enquiry, we assess the individual’s needs, proposed destination, travel arrangements and requested level of support. We will then confirm whether we can safely provide the service.

Holiday support must be planned in advance wherever possible. Short-notice requests may be considered subject to assessment and staff availability.