respite care

Short Breaks Fund: Round 1 evaluation report

The Short Breaks Fund was launched in November 2010 and has been made available through funding from the Scottish Government in recognition of the important contribution which carers make in caring for a loved one, and the vital role breaks play in sustaining carers and those they care for.

With a foreword by Minister for Public Health Michael Matheson this report considers what projects from the first round of funding have achieved, and captures their challenges and from this to considers what learning can be taken forward into future funding allocations.

A guide to developing a short break bureau

Shared Care Scotland exists to promote the development of more imaginative, personcentred approaches to short breaks and respite care. The carers and service users we speak to are looking for quality services which offer choice, flexibility and reliability; a range of services that meet different needs and circumstances rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. The development of Short Break Bureaux in Scotland, involves collaborative working between the statutory and voluntary sector. This guide provides a model of service planning.

More than a break

The purpose of this discussion paper is to set out some of the key issues related to the experience of disabled children and their families in being able to access suitable short break and respite care support, and their experience of services received. The paper is intended as a starting point to stimulate a wider discussion amongst service users, carers, providers, planners and others to determine the main priorities for improving provision and achieving better outcomes for all concerned.

Scottish household survey analytical topic report: Characteristics and experiences of unpaid carers in Scotland

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Unpaid carers make a vital contribution to our society, and need to be supported and recognised by the NHS and local authorities as partners in care provision. The aim of the current report is to provide an indication of which types of carers may be in particular need of support, and examine the demographic characteristics of carers. The report analysed responses to the Scottish Household Survey between 1999 and 2004.

Inequalities in respite service provision: Insights from a national, longitudinal study of people with intellectual disabilities

Paper from the Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 2010, 23, 85–9. This study highlights some of the complexities in reducing inequalities in the provision of respite services and in identifying the need for them.