Short Break Stories

Edinburgh Better Breaks

A story by VOCAL

We provided person centred respite through befriending and supported activities, we worked in partnership with Lothian Autistic Society to delver this project.

 

 

What Edinburgh Better Breaks did

We used solution focused techniques to support carers to reflect on the difference a break would make to them and to the children/young people they support. These conversations support carers to shape a package of respite (times and activities) that is meets both their needs and that of the children and young people they support.

Following these conversations the family are matched with a carefully selected worker who is appropriately trained to provide the befriending/activity support that young person needs to take them out at the times agreed.

Through this outcomes based approach children and young people have taken part in a wide variety of activities including, trampolining, swimming, visit to the airport and park. While carers have been able to use the breaks to see friends, spend times with other children, read a book, catch up on chores.

We promoted these opportunities through a variety of methods including VOCAL’s newsletter ‘Carers News’ which has a circulation of 5,500 carers and 1000 professionals in Edinburgh, through a dedicated page on our Website, Facebook and Twitter. In addition we liaised with a large number of professionals who work closely with children and young people with additional needs and their families including Health and Social Care, Specialist Nursing Teams and the schools for children with additional needs and further education programme leaders.

A carer supporting her son with Autism and Asthma described the service as ‘perfect’ the carer reported that she gets ‘quiet time on a Wednesday when the worker takes her son swimming’ During this quiet time she and her husband time together with their younger child which is very difficult at other times. On occasion her husband and younger child have gone swimming with the worker and son. This kind of family outing is very rare as ‘ he is only interested in swimming and using his bike nothing else’ and his behaviour makes an unsupported trip as a family impossible.

The family time out at the swimming pool and the quiet time at home have both had a big impact on the carers well being . She reported feeling less stressed and better able to cope. She also noted being more patient and getting on better with others. ‘ I think we all feel better - the whole family – each in our own way have benefited’

A female carer who is supporting her 6 year old son with Autism and insulin controlled diabetes prior to accessing a break reported feeling quite socially isolated. The carer is from an Eastern European Community and has no family in the United Kingdom and has not managed to make many friends due to her son’s needs. In discussions she noted that she is keen to get out of the house more and ideally return to work as this would build her confidence and her social networks.

Her son was matched with a worker who supports him to go to the park and swimming (his two favourite things). The carer has used the time he is out to go to the gym. The carer feels that going to the gym is helping her English Language skills which in turn will help her get job. Going to the Gym has also helped her meet some new people and make one friend and hopefully more.

The carer reported that her son is often quite tired after being out with the worker which makes the evening meal and bedtime routine easier, ‘it is less of a struggle on the nights he has been out running around we all get to bed much earlier’. The carer reported that getting a break for a few hours, followed by a good nights sleep and the benefits of exercise at the gym are helping her health over all but especially her mental health and confidence. ‘I feel better. Thank you. I feel less stressed, less anxious, and less tired. Sleeping better’ ‘I feel better mentally and physically’

The carer reported that she is now job hunting. ‘ I still have difficulties finding a job . All companies expecting me to work on a Friday afternoons. Always a problem for me because my son finishes school early’ however she noted that being able to consider getting a job was a big step and one that has been supported by the breaks and all she gained through them.
I have let go of my fear. I am more trusting of others and my daughter. It is not just me that can look after her.’ This statement was made by the mother of a 7 year old with Autism who took part in Better Breaks. Prior to the breaks the carer reported feeling very tired and lacking motivation and ‘wanting to feel like my old self again’. However, she was very nervous about her daughters safety when not in her care.

After discussion the carer received some flexible respite hours with a worker and they began to work together. Initially the home with mum around and then later going out. As the breaks progressed the carer reported that she was now able to see that there was support that would work for her family. The carer reported feeling less isolated and that her mood had improved.

During one of her daughters outings she meet a friend for lunch something she had not managed for over a year ‘ It was a real boast I was on a high for days’ . The carer also spoke about being more motivated to look after her own health as well as her family ‘I understand now if I am not well I can’t help them’.

Following the breaks the carer reported a number of other ‘mindset shifts’ that will hopefully make her caring role more sustainable she spoke of looking into services to provide support not to just her daughter but also her younger son and about seeking family support either practically or emotionally. She also reported that she was talking to her sister more which she was finding supportive and that she as now getting some support from her father with her daughter.

What VOCAL has learned

We have learnt that is very important to work in partnership with others to help those least likely to ask for or accept support. Many carers can struggle to trust a new provider when it comes to the care of a child or young person with additional needs. In these circumstances the recommendation or support of someone already trusted has proved beneficial. Word of mouth among parent carers proved a powerful tool for our Better Breaks opportunities.

The fund has helped us to attract a number of carers who had not previously used the supports available to them through VOCAL. The opportunity to have access a break for themselves and/or their child has encouraged them to make contact initially and then as that has worked well they have chosen to engage with other supports available such as training, counselling and carers support.

Many parents especially those of younger children where really unsure about how to maximize the impact of the break for themselves and their families and benefited from support to reflect on what works well now that they would like more off and to think of times when things are not as difficult and what is happening then. This learning could then be used to shape a package of breaks that met their needs and those of their child.
Top tips VOCAL's top tips for an organisation that wants to run a similar project
Tip 1:
When offering a support that is very flexible it can be useful to give examples of how it might be used ass a blank piece of paper can be intimidating to some.
Tip 2:
Some carers may find the thought of selecting their own worker or deciding on when to use the respite they have been allocated a stumbling block. It is important to have a process that supports carers who lack confidence, time or energy to access support/keep momentum up.
Tip 3:
If offering a service where clients can select the dates and times that they wish to access support then it is useful to consider if sometimes might prove more popular than other and to plan for this.