Flintshire County Council’s fostering team is taking part in Share the Care week to urge people to come forward to support one of the six disabled children and their families currently needing a break in Flintshire.
There are six disabled children aged 8 to 15 on the waiting list for short breaks in Flintshire. With disabilities such as autism, learning difficulties, developmental delay, ADHD and epilepsy, this can mean erratic sleep patterns and challenging behaviour which require patience and energy. For their families, a full weekend break is just what they need to recharge their batteries.
Short breaks are the support service most requested by the families of disabled children. They are regular opportunities for families to have a break from caring while the child enjoys spending time with a short break carer. They provide opportunities for disabled children to make new friends, develop their independence and enjoy new activities.
Louise and Gordon Goodwin from Mancot, are short break carers for Lucy aged 14. They said: “We love Lucy coming to stay. She has lots of fun with our three children; playing dolls, face painting and making tents. She likes to go to swimming and shopping. She comes after school on Friday and stays until Sunday night. We chat to her parents before each visit and we also get great support from the fostering team. We have attended training to learn more about disability and meet other carers. We like to know we are helping another family and its fun.”
A national survey has identified that awareness of short breaks amongst the general public is low, with only three in 10 people knowing about the opportunity to become a short break carer in comparison to fostering where as eight in 10 people know about the opportunity to foster. Despite this low awareness a high number of people, one in five, would consider giving a break if only they knew they could.
Suzanne Johnston, Short Break Social Worker, said: “Short break carers really do transform the lives of families of disabled children. Not only do they give parents a break from caring; they give disabled children the chance to take part in activities that most non-disabled children take for granted. Being a short break carer is a very rewarding role to have in the life of a disabled child and their family.
“We need families who can give some time and energy to helping a child experience new things, from picnics on the beach to horse riding. What we ask is that you have a spare bedroom, time and can commit to helping a family for one full weekend a month and a week’s visit in the school holidays for a number of years, hopefully building a close friendship until the child is grown up.
“The children may have some difficult behaviour so we need people with patience, energy and willing to try new ways of doing things. Experience of disability is not essential but if you already know or work with people with disabilities your involvement could make a huge difference to a child.”
DJ and TV presenter Jo Whiley is backing the campaign to recruit short break carers and has provided an introduction to a DVD on the subject – Be the BIG Difference. Jo said: “My sister Francis has learning disabilities. We grew up together; and there were times when it was really difficult. Francis didn’t like sleeping very much, and we used to go for days and nights without any kind of sleep. It was particularly hard for my mum and dad because they were looking after her 24/7 and at times they came to breaking point.
“Life would have been a lot easier if they had had people there just to take Francis out even if it was for a couple of hours. If it was for a day, if it was for a night, that would have been amazing. And that’s why I’m really pleased to support Shared Care Network’s campaign to encourage more people to come forward to become carers to give families with a disabled child the break they so desperately need. I hope many more people will come forward to be the BIG difference to a disabled child and their family.”
For more information and a free dvd on short breaks, call 01352 701000 or visit www.flintshire.gov.uk/foster
