Short Break Service

We believe that wherever possible children should be looked after by their parents but sometimes parents need considerable help to continue caring for their children. Many may not have reliable support from family or friends. Short break fostering is very short-term care of disabled children in order to help support a family. This may mean looking after a child, or a sibling group for anything from a couple of days, weekends, to a week or two at a time. Others may already be in foster care and it is a way of providing relief care for a foster carer so that they can have a break or a holiday. Some may be in residential school and need a foster carer for weekends and holidays. Most of these children will be living with their own families and these breaks offer children new experiences and give parents/carers time away from caring.

• Providing a rewarding service on a short-term basis
• Being able to assist a long-term foster family to take a break or holiday
• Assisting a family with a child who is disabled or has special needs
• Giving a child who lives in a residential school a family to come home to in the holidays
  

The children who use the service
The children who use the scheme all live within the boundaries of Kirklees. They have a wide range of medical needs, learning and/or physical disabilities and are aged from 0 to 18 years. The majority live at home with their families. Most of the chidren using the scheme will be under the age of ten years.

Why Such a service is needed
Children with disabilities are often isolated during their leisure time at home. Usually they attend special schools and, consequently, may have no friends within their immediate neighbourhood. Also, because of their special needs, they often cannot play outside the home without supervision.

Short break care provides friendship, support, fun and stimulation, and it widens the child's horizons. It also provides their parents with much-needed breaks from the task of caring for their disabled child and enables them to spend quality time with other children in the family.

What it Costs
At the present time the scheme is free to parents. The costs are met by Kirklees Council, which pays short break carers an allowance for each period of care they provide.
When a link is made between a child, his or her family and a carer, an agreement is drawn up between all parties which sets out the arrangements. This will include all the practicalities, including when the arrangement starts and ends, how many sessions will be included etc.

Interested in Becoming a Short Break Carer?
If you think you may be able to offer help in such circumstances and you're interested in becoming a short break carer, the following information will give you a clearer idea of what is involved. Please contact us if you need any further help or advice.
The children who need Short Break Service have complex and highly individual needs it is very important to ensure a good 'match' between the child and their family and the carer assigned to them. Assuring this match is right for the child is the responsibility of Kirklees Council's family placement workers.

The application process
People from all walks of life and all ethnic backgrounds can apply to become short break carers. The wider the range and choice of carers, the greater the possibility of ensuring the best 'match' for each child. In order to safeguard the children's interests, prospective carers need to be prepared to agree to routine police and health checks being made.
Also, a family placement worker will visit them at home to discuss all the implications for them and their family, as well as any child for whom they may eventually care. Training and other preparatory help is also provided.
Ultimately, the decision on whether or not an applicant may become a carer will be with the fostering panel. This panel will take into account the interests of all parties, prior to making a final decision.

Matching short break carers with children
Once approved short break foster carers are matched with children waiting for the service. Carers are given full details about the child's needs and receive any specialist training they may require. Full written information will be shared. In most cases the introductions will take place over a number of visits before an overnight stay starts.

Carers can be matched to several children whose needs can be met by their skills and the placement. e.g. adapted property.

Ongoing support is offered to carers and placements are reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that the arrangements are satisfactory for all concerned.

Contact
If you would like more information about becoming a short break foster carer please fill in the online contact form.

We would particulary like to hear from people who could offer care to a number of disabled children. We want carers who would be willing to offer around 15 nights per month.