Health and Social Care is looking to expand the family based Short Break Scheme for children with disabilities and their families.
Health and Social Care is looking to expand the family based Short Break Scheme for children with disabilities and their families.
The service allows families a chance to take young family members out of care for a few hours or to have an overnight stay with short break carers.
Family Placement Service Social Worker Vicki Tennant says having a carer step in even for a short time can make a huge difference to families.
‘We support children and families who have got children with learning disabilities and complex needs and it’s about providing short break and respite for those families to enable children to have different experiences, but also provide a break for parents to enable them to spend time with other siblings or get on with household chores or things that other people take for granted,’ she said.
‘They can see the difference they can make to the children’s lives and the family’s lives. Some of the children we work with have significant needs in relation to anxieties. Parents can struggle to take them to the shops because of the behaviours involved. Because the carers are able to spend that one-to-one time with them they are able to take them into situations and actually help them through those anxieties.
‘Seeing how that child can develop through the scheme and a number of other things is really rewarding and seeing the benefit it has for the families.’
Abbie Tostevin says she loves being a carer.
‘I’ve got the most adorable little boy that I look after, he’s completely gorgeous and I get on really well with the family. We just have loads of fun, basically.’
If you'd like more information you can contact the Family Placement Service on 713230 or email 'change@guernseyfostercare.com'.
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