About Us
WHAT IS THE CARING BREAKS SERVICE - WHO DOES IT SUPPORT?
Caring Breaks, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, was formed 25 years ago. It was the scarcity of short break provision that prompted family carers in partnership with the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, to look at alternative and more creative forms of respite for carers.
The service was set up to address the lack of respite available to those who care for adults with a learning disability and to provide an alternative to institutional/residential based respite care. Caring Breaks is a community-based respite service providing regular short breaks for family carers, combined with social and recreational activities for their son/daughter with a learning disability.
Recognising that carers have the right to a life, to have their own health, social and emotional needs met is the cornerstone of the Caring Breaks service. The service offered helps to alleviate the strain of providing continuous care often felt by carers, by providing what they tell us is “conscience free” respite. By that they mean that they can take a break, secure in the knowledge that their son or daughter is being well cared and receiving support to enable them to participate in social and leisure activities of their choosing.
Carer involvement is an important aspect of the Caring Breaks service. Family carers are represented on the board of directors. We also have a dedicated carer sub-group who are actively involved in the growth and development of the service and ensure that the focus remains on the need for respite for carers.
Caring Breaks currently operates in the Belfast, Bangor and Lisburn areas and is providing weekly respite breaks for over 100 families. Referrals to the service are made via the local social work teams. We give priority to older carers, those coping alone and those caring for more than one person. Carers using the service range in age from 40s to late 80s.
The clients we support, (adults with a learning disability) range in age from 18 – 70+ and have been diagnosed with a severe learning disability. Many of our clients have additional complex care needs, can be physically unwell, and have difficulty with mobility.
WHAT DOES CARING BREAKS DO?
Our activities take place in the evenings and at weekends which is when family carers tell us they need it most. We use trained and paid staff known as Community Respite Workers. They collect a client (adult with a learning disability) from their home around teatime, in most cases on a weekly basis, and then they go out for an evening’s fun, meet up with other clients and spend some time socialising together. Activities can be anything from a trip to the theatre to bowling or going for a meal in a restaurant.
We also have a fully accessible space at our premises in Wildflower Way, Belfast where we host activities Monday – Friday 5pm -9pm and on a Saturday 1pm – 5pm in our HubClub for adults with a learning disability.
For their parents/carers this weekly respite gives them a chance to have time to themselves and it usually represents the most regular break they get to enjoy. Often these regular breaks of a few hours per week can mean the difference between parents coping and family breakdown.
Specifically, the relief of stress on a regular basis has a hugely beneficial impact on health and well-being, which enables family carers to continue to care and adults with learning disabilities to continue living at home.
WEEKEND RESPITE BREAKS
Caring Breaks also provides extended periods of respite in the form of weekend breaks, where clients depending on the level of their disability, get the opportunity amongst other activities, to try outdoor pursuits like canoeing, archery, orienteering etc.
We use self-catering accommodation at a range of locations across NI and these breaks are the most popular feature of the Caring Breaks service.
Weekend respite breaks are hugely appreciated by family carers, and they tell us that they see great changes in their sons and daughters on their return from a weekend away. For instance, improvements in behaviour, they have developed greater social skills, express themselves more fluently and generally become more confident individuals.
During the spring and summer months, we also provide a series of day trips for adults with a learning disability, and these take place on a Saturday 9am – 7pm. These day trips provide family carers with a 10-hour respite break.
Caring Breaks relies on grants from charitable foundations and our own fundraising activities to cover the costs of weekend breaks and day trips.