Short break carers for disabled children needed
12:00pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News
People in Cornwall are being asked to help make a difference to the life of a disabled child by becoming a short break carer.
Short break carers offer a much needed break to disabled children and their families. In Cornwall there are 13 short break carers who support 22 disabled children, however there is an urgent need for more.
Cornwall Council is using this year’s national Share the Care week (18-24 March) to launch a campaign to encourage people to come forward.
A short break can be anything from a few hours a week to an overnight stay and carers come from a wide range of backgrounds.
Jenny and Robert are short break carers who look after two disabled children from different families on a regular basis. The children have physical and learning disabilities and Jenny and Robert have been caring for them for many years.
“For us, becoming short break carers was a natural progression from being foster carers” said Robert.
“We love looking after the children and it gives us a real opportunity to give something back. It fits in with our lifestyles as well, as we both work nearly full time and have children of own.”
“We take the children we care for out and about with our own children; it gives them the opportunity to have new and different experiences – and all of the kids love it!. Both of the children we care for come from really good, supportive families, and knowing that we are helping them out is really fulfilling for us. For the families, it enables them to spend much-needed time with their other children and it really does give them a break.”
Anyone who is interested in becoming a short break carer, should contact Cornwall’s Family Placement Team on: 01872 323 638
