Short Break Stories

Carers Short Breaks Project

A story by Dumfries and Galloway Carers Centre

We provided grants directly to carers living in Dumfries & Galloway.

What Carers Short Breaks Project did

In the last 12 months the Time to Live Fund has been ongoing funding from The Short Breaks Fund and local Carers Information Strategy funding. A Short Breaks worker has continued to be employed at the Carers Centre for up to 8 hours per week to enable the fund to be managed, administrated and evaluated.This year the short breaks panel members and the Carers Centre Board have revisited the guidance and application process of the fund.

The guidance was updated in relation to how many applications a Carer can make to the fund. Previously a Carer could submit 2 applications to the fund with no further application being accepted. However now the fund has been in operation for 6+ years it was felt that this was excluding Carers who had used the fund successfully in the first 2 years. Carers are now able to reapply if there has been a 3 year gap since their second application which will reopen the fund to a number of Carers. The Application form has also been streamlined following feedback from Carers.

Some areas were repetitive and asked for information that wasn't needed so the form has been revised. Staff have also created a more young carer friendly form to enable this process to be more accessible to the young people that use our service. There have been new panel members recruited this year after one of our Carer reps moved away. A parent Carer has been recruited at present. One of the Centre's Board members has taken a lead in the panel and the project as a whole which has been helpful and offers a consistent approach. This Board member has also taken the lead in looking at the revised form and guidance.

12 Panel meetings have been held again this year with 139 applications awarded grant taking the total to 785 since the fund started. The fund has been promoted through awareness raising presentations delivered by Carers Centre, through targeted mailshots to Carers and by distributing information about the fund to local statutory and third sector staff who work with Carers. 70% of the applications this year have been related to overnight breaks or holidays while the other 30% have been activity or recreational focused.

The Carers Short Breaks Project provides Carers with the opportunity to apply for funding towards a short break that will have a positive impact on their health and wellbeing. Breaks can be for an overnight break or holiday with or without the cared for person, an application can be submitted for an activity style break that can promote a life outside of caring be that relaxation therapies, membership for a gym or golf club or for a training course that can make a difference, applications can also be awarded for equipment which can help enhance a Carers wellbeing by giving them a break in some way.

The Project is keen to promote innovative and creative ways in which a short break can be of benefit and gives Carers the chance to think about how a break can best meet their personal circumstances. The fund is managed by the local Carers Centre where applications are submitted by the 2nd Tuesday of the month. A panel of staff, volunteers and Carers meet to discuss the applications during the third week of the month to ensure that the applications meet criteria and grant awards.

A maximum of £400 can be applied for with up to £750 being awarded for special circumstances and family applications where there are more than one Carer from the same family applying for the same break. Carers are encouraged to book the break themselves, commit to submitting receipts and take part in a short evaluation post break. If a Carer requires assistance to book a break or complete an application form the Short Breaks Worker can be of assistance.

A Carer who cares for both elderly parents and had moved in with them 3 years previously had been struggling with the feeling of losing her sense of self. She works full time and returns home to the demands of caring. To achieve a better work life balance the Carer is keen to set up her own business or work within skin care and wanted to further her skills in this area.

Her application for a course on Derma planning was supported to enable her to progress her plan to build her life outside of caring.

A second application saw a Carer apply for ukulele lessons and to use a respite break to enable her to go away and stay with a friend in Devon. This would involve playing her ukulele at a local folk festival whilst on her break. This is now something that will be worked towards following her successful application.

The Carers Centre has worked more closely with the local LGBT organisation this year including receiving training from them on working the local transgender community. At the same time we worked with their staff to raise awareness of the Carers Centre in general but more specifically the short breaks fund. This has resulted in their staff supporting some of their clients who are Carers to submit applications.

One Carer in particular was supported to submit an application but wasn't known to the Carers Centre prior to this, since the award was granted the Carer has gone on to access further support offered at the Centre and currently an Adult Carers Support Plan is being considered. This is one example of where the fund results in previously unknown Carers being further supported through the services of the Centre and building up a relationship with staff.
A number of applications this year have been granted to enable Carers to maintain family relationships. 2 particular applications were made to enable the Carer to attend a close family members wedding and as a result of the distance and caring relationship this would have been otherwise extremely difficult to achieve. This enabled the Carers in both situations to have something to look forward to and plan for, to meet up with people who they didn't see regularly and to have something to talk about on return.

A further application came from a lady who cared for her husband who was no longer able to travel due to his disability. Her son lived in Mexico and they had been looking at ways to enable her to visit. He had recently settled there and the Carer was unable to afford the travel costs. The fund paid for her flights to Mexico and enabled her to spend time with her son. The impact of simply being told she had received the grant was so positive and thankful that it really did show how beneficial this break was going to be.

The knowledge gained from running the short break project is now being shared in the local work taking place around the implementation of the Carers Act around the setting of a Short Breaks Statement. There is now a Short Breaks Planning Group which the Manager of the Carers Centre has a place on to enable the outcomes of the short breaks project to be fed into the process.
A Young Adult Carer was awarded a grant to enable him to study for his yachting certificate. This included health and safety and first aid topics. The YAC had been part of the local rowing and sailing club and by being able to work towards this qualification he would be able to volunteer in the future to assist young people at the club to develop their skills. This award was seen as having benefits for the individual but also would go on to support others in the future.

What Dumfries and Galloway Carers Centre has learned

As previously reported the project has resulted in ongoing learning about the benefits that Carers experience as a result of having access to the Time to Live fund. The fund continues to enable a break to be interpreted in a personalised way to best meet the outcomes of Carers and their families. The funding from The Short Breaks Fund has again enabled funding to be awarded to the project from local sources.

The funding for hours to support the administration of the fund continues to be key to the organisation. This year there continues to be new ideas reflected in applications for what can constitute a short break but the traditional holiday style break still continues to be important. The more innovative, creative applications continue to stimulate discussion at panel and this highlights the importance of having a panel for decision making.
Top tips Dumfries and Galloway Carers Centre's top tips for an organisation that wants to run a similar project
Tip 1:
These haven't really changed again from previous years, the thorough application process and guidance are key for decision making and it has been important to revisit these so as not to become complacent.
Tip 2:
Encourage innovative thinking around what constitutes a short break to both Carers and staff. Be prepared for the work that comes alongside running a project like this.
Tip 3:
Use Adult Carers Support Plans and Young Carers Statements to identify how best a short break can meet a Carers outcomes.
The Carers Short Breaks Project provides Carers with the opportunity to apply for funding towards a short break that will have a positive impact on their health and wellbeing. Breaks can be for an overnight break or holiday with or without the cared for person; an application can be submitted for an activity style break that can promote a life outside of caring be that relaxation therapies, membership for a gym or golf club or for a training course that can make a difference; applications can also be awarded for equipment which can help enhance a Carers wellbeing by giving them a break in some way.
The Project is keen to promote innovative and creative ways in which a short break can be of benefit and gives Carers the chance to think about how a break can best meet their personal circumstances.
The fund is managed by the local Carers Centre where applications are submitted by the 2nd Tuesday of the month. A panel of staff, volunteers and Carers meet to discuss the applications during the third week of the month to ensure that the
applications meet criteria and grant awards.
A maximum of £400 can be applied for with up to £750 being awarded for special circumstances and family applications where there are more than one Carer from the same family applying for the same break.
Carers are encouraged to book the break themselves, commit to submitting receipts and take part in a short evaluation post break. If a Carer requires assistance to book a break or complete an application form the Short Breaks Worker can be of assistance.