Slough Borough Council is backing the BIG Breaks campaign to get more residents in the borough to make a big difference to children with disabilities and their families during Share the Care Week.
The Slough week, which runs from March 15 to 22, is organised by Shared Care Network, the national short breaks charity, and aims to encourage more people to offer short breaks to children with disabilities, so their parents get regular respite from caring.
Big Breaks aims to double the number of disabled children in the UK getting short breaks to 20,000 by 2012 and comes at a time when short breaks have become the most requested support service by families of disabled children.
To help with this, the Slough council’s Home from Home, Short Break Scheme is taking part and is keen to alert residents of the need for more carers to support families in the town.
Short breaks have received major new investment from the government in England, with £430m allocated through the Aiming High for Disabled Children initiative, helping local authorities deliver a change in the provision of short breaks services for disabled children in England by 2011.
The breaks are not one-off holidays for children with disabilities, but regular opportunities for the families to take a break from the demands of caring.
They can be for a few hours a week to an overnight stay. This is also an opportunity for the child to enjoy time with a carer and experience new activities and friendships that many other children may take for granted.
Tina Ryan, fostering team manager at Slough Borough Council, said: “We’re urging local residents to think about becoming a home from home carer.
“There is no such thing as a typical Home from Home carer, just people who enjoy being with children, and would welcome the opportunity to help a child with disabilities realise their potential.
“Short breaks can range from a few hours a week to overnight stays once a month. Training and support are provided, plus an hourly expense payment.”
Commissioner for Slough education and children’s services, Cllr Sukhjit Dhaliwal, added: “The Home from Home scheme is extremely important to many people in the town and offers a chance for families with disabled children to have time on their own and for their child to be with other people.
“It would be great to see more volunteers for the scheme. It really does make a huge difference to people’s lives – both the families and carers.”
For more information, please call 0800 073 0291 or email familyplacement@slough.gov.uk
Slough Borough Council
