Holidays can provide a welcome break but they may need careful planning to make a holiday successful. There are many organisations which provide holidays and holiday accommodation for people and families with special needs. Some are detailed here. The Encephalitis Society provides this information in good faith but it up to the individual to ensure that the holiday suits their particular needs.

Some local authorities may provide grants towards holiday costs, others may offer holidays at places of their own choice. Some local authorities insist on means-testing and, even when grants are available, they are usually small.

Heads up Holidays

Is the first holiday company of its kind in the world offering brain injured people and their families' holidays the freedom to travel internationally, supported by a team of expert carers and staff individually matched to meet the clients personality and needs.

What makes their holidays different are:

• Personally assisted by trained carers in the holiday country
  
• All elements of the holiday are risk assessed
  
• Clinically supported
  
• Individually created itineraries with a full range of activities

They take care of every aspects; from booking, airport transfers, the actual travel and accommodation, providing local support workers and daily activities.

The cost of the holiday and the costs of care vary from country to country but only the care that is needed on a day to day level is paid for. You pay for as much or as little care as you need or want depending on the activities you chose to do and the support you would like. You can also opt to increase the amount of time your holiday support worker spends with you. All staff are English speaking, health and safety trained, have been referenced and police checked and carry first aid certificates. Most are ex-pats with medical backgrounds and have been chosen for their friendly, responsible and adaptable personalities.

www.headsupholdays.com or phone 0115 958 2235

Over The Wall

We are a national Charity making it possible for the UK's most seriously ill children to enjoy fun, friendship & fulfilment at our residential camps.

Each year Over The Wall welcomes children affected by serious illnesses to our unique residential camps. At Over The Wall camps we help children overcome the isolation they feel during the rest of the year and have fun & forge friendships with other seriously ill children "just like them". These campers range in age from 8 to 16. These weeklong sessions also provide a much needed break for parents knowing that our camps are staffed by highly trained volunteers and a dedicated medical team. Over The Wall also ensures that the siblings are not forgotten and runs Spring and Autumn camps and events for them. If your child would benefit from a week at Over The Wall, then contact our Camper Recruitment Manager Louise Hebron on 01420 82086 or email louise@otw.org.uk

www.otw.org.uk

Therapeutic Holidays Centre

Therapeutic Holiday Centre is a charity offering holidays for people affected by brain conditions in Crete, Greece. Their clients are small groups of children or adults with learning difficulties, autism, etc coming from all over EU. Some of the activities we offer -besides accommodation is:

• therapeutic riding
  
• ergotherapy (occupational therapy)
  
• trekking
  
• swimming
  

For more information visit their website www.therapeutic-holidays.org.gr

Insurance on the move

This article was first printed in Headway News www.headway.org.uk

Despite the fact they are breaking the law, many of the UKs leading insurance companies still discriminate against people with acquired brain injuries when it comes to providing travel insurance. Andrew Morton looks at the issues.

Since 1995, the Disability Discrimination Act has made it unlawful to refuse travel insurance, or charge higher premiums, because of a disability. However discrimination still occurs, as many insurers ask a single blanket question about whether a person experiences (or has experienced) problems and decides that anyone answering 'yes' poses too high a risk to insure. Consequently many people with any form of brain injury are unable to obtain travel insurance-or are forced to pay premiums that are unacceptably high.

A travel insurer cannot refuse a travel policy to a disabled person, however, claims arising out of the disability may be excluded if the insurer can justify that the condition represents an increased risk. This means that if a person has a pre-existing condition such as schizophrenia, and experiences symptoms whilst on holiday, the insurer may refuse cover for treatment of this particular condition. If the claim is not connected to the disability it should be paid as normal.

The majority of holidays are sold with standard insurance policies (which almost always exclude pre-existing conditions). These policies are more or less useless (and may also be unlawful) for claims connected to an existing brain injury whilst on holiday. However individuals with an acquired brain injury are free to make their own, more comprehensive insurance arrangements thus ensuring full cover, yet this point is not always made clear by travel agents when the holiday is booked.

When deciding about whether to insure someone, a risk assessment should always be carried out by the insurer and should include a statistical analysis that a person presents "a higher than average risk" (since an individual could sue an insurance company under the Disability Discrimination Act if they were unfairly declined insurance). If you are applying for insurance and this happens to you (or you believe that your insurer has treated you unjustly), you could have a case.

Andrew Morton specialises in travel related claims for Pannone and Partners. Telephone: 0161 909 3000 Email: andrew.morton@pannone.co.uk.

Respite care and support holiday to Orlando Florida

3rd September 2008 – 17th September 2008 (2 weeks)
2nd November 2008 – 16th November 2008 (2 weeks)

Mosaic welcomes you to join us on a chance of a lifetime holiday to the sixth largest city in Florida USA - Orlando!!!

All your physical, personal, social and recreational needs will be catered for. You will be fully supported by qualified, experienced carers whom are their to make your holiday hassle free, give you the relevant levels of care and support you personally require as well as ensuring that you get to visit sites of interest, enjoy the summer weather, and experience the most from your holiday at the famous destination of Florida USA.

The total price for the following Florida 5* 2 week holiday with care and support is £2250.00 per person

Further Information