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…]

Recasting respite policy for people with learning disabilities in integrated framework to support family coping and resilience

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Most local authorities are attempting to offer a range of services in response to the need for respite or a short break. Authorities have recognised the need to offer services therefore that attempt to meet the needs of carers and the people with disabilities, by ensuring that short breaks are responsive to people using services, [read the full story…]

Short breaks services must adapt to support children with complex needs

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Short break services provided to families of children with learning disabilities and severely challenging behaviour are offered as a key element of support. Critical to the success however is the way in which the service can be provided to fit the individual needs of the young person with complex needs. The authors of this study [read the full story…]

Review finds individual and family characteristics associated with need for urgent respite

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This review of literature set out to explore the issues relating to families relinquishing the support of their family member with learning disabilities, often at a point of crisis. The review looked at situations where the family member is placed by disability services in respite care until suitable permanent accommodation can be organised or indeed, [read the full story…]

8 year study identifies predictors of people with learning disabilities moving from family home

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This longitudinal study followed a cohort of nearly 11,000 people with learning disabilities over a period of 8 years. The researchers were looking at issues relating to those people who had moved from family care and those who had remained. The majority of those followed , 85%, continued to live with their families. For 67%, [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…]