Specialist short breaks services found to help maintain children in families, but only if key conditions are met

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Short breaks offer an opportunity for the person supported to be away from home and for family carers the opportunity to recharge depleted batteries. Earlier this year, we reported on the publication of Mencap’s survey of families which suggested that 8 out of 10 families surveyed reported they had reached breaking point, reporting high levels [read the full story…]

Family carers still at breaking point says Mencap report

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Short breaks offer a way for people with disabilities and their family carers to take a break from each other. For the person supported, they offer an opportunity to be away from home and for family carers an opportunity to recharge depleted batteries. In 2003, Mencap surveyed seventy six families from across England and Northern [read the full story…]

Review confirms short breaks have potential to positively impact on well-being of carers, children and their families

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The authors of this review of the literature set out to look at the assumptions held about the impact of short breaks on family carers and disabled children. 60 articles or reports were identified for inclusion in the review, the vast majority being cross-sectional studies. The reviewers found eight studies using quasi-experimental pre-post designs or [read the full story…]

Short breaks allocation could not be explained by availability of provision in Irish study

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This Irish study looks at variations in the provision and correlates of respite breaks to families in the republic. Short breaks support family carers and demand for them often exceeds supply meaning that authorities have to ration the number and length of breaks available. The study team analysed Irish National data on the use of [read the full story…]