More short break carers needed in the Wokingham Borough
Disabled children and their families in the Wokingham borough are in desperate need of more short break carers.
Short break volunteer carers help Wokingham families who have a child with a disability by looking after the child for a set period of time, usually in the carer’s home. This can be for anything from a few hours a week to a weekend a month and gives the family a vital break from providing 24-hour care and the child an opportunity for new experiences.
Any adult can become a carer (subject to checks including an enhanced police criminal record bureau check) to be a short break carer and no previous experience is necessary as full training is provided. The carers receive a tax-free allowance to cover their expenses.
Next week (March 19 to 25) is Share the Care week, a national campaign to attract more short break carers, and the Wokingham borough is in particular need of more carers. The borough currently has 13 short break carers who offer care to 15 children. But it has 23 children waiting for a carer.
Social worker Helen Tracey, who runs the scheme in the Wokingham borough, said: “We are desperate for more carers to help with this really valuable service. Both the carers and the families get so much out of this scheme, it is truly rewarding and worthwhile. Once people volunteer to be carers they realise how wonderful an experience it is and they almost always stay with us for a long time.”
Carers are matched to a family by a social worker, who will try to find appropriate pairings and then arrange an introductory visit by the child with their family. If this is successful, a short visit will be arranged to check how the child settles in and then visits can be gradually extended.
Short break volunteer carers help Wokingham families who have a child with a disability by looking after the child for a set period of time, usually in the carer’s home. This can be for anything from a few hours a week to a weekend a month and gives the family a vital break from providing 24-hour care and the child an opportunity for new experiences.
Any adult can become a carer (subject to checks including an enhanced police criminal record bureau check) to be a short break carer and no previous experience is necessary as full training is provided. The carers receive a tax-free allowance to cover their expenses.
Next week (March 19 to 25) is Share the Care week, a national campaign to attract more short break carers, and the Wokingham borough is in particular need of more carers. The borough currently has 13 short break carers who offer care to 15 children. But it has 23 children waiting for a carer.
Social worker Helen Tracey, who runs the scheme in the Wokingham borough, said: “We are desperate for more carers to help with this really valuable service. Both the carers and the families get so much out of this scheme, it is truly rewarding and worthwhile. Once people volunteer to be carers they realise how wonderful an experience it is and they almost always stay with us for a long time.”
Carers are matched to a family by a social worker, who will try to find appropriate pairings and then arrange an introductory visit by the child with their family. If this is successful, a short visit will be arranged to check how the child settles in and then visits can be gradually extended.
Wokingham Borough Council
<< Home