Everyone needs time off from the physical and mental demands of caring. If you are a carer, from time to time, it helps for both you and the person you care for to have a break. A break can be for an hour, a day, a week or more.

There are many different ways of organising a break to help with the day-to-day tasks of caring. The crucial thing is to know that the person you care for is safe.

For some carers' breaks, you need to have an assessment first with Social Services. For others, you can refer yourself to the organisations direct.

Waltham Forest Social Services can offer the following carers services:

  • Respite care – residential, nursing and dementia
  • Home based respite
  • Take a break
  • Respite grant
  • Leisure cards
  • Learning grant- including learning for living
  • Direct payments for carers

You will need to have an assessment which shows you have a high or very high priority need for the carers service. There is a charge for residential and nursing respite breaks arranged by Social Services.

What types of breaks are available?

Services in and around the home
Services in the home provide a variety of support, including sitting and talking with the person you care for. There are other services which can help the person you care for with social activities of their choice such as going to the cinema, pub or shopping.

Residential Respite care
Residential care homes and nursing homes can provide short-term care for the person you look after so that you can get a break. If you can, it may be useful to visit beforehand to make sure that it can cater for the needs of the person you look after.

These respite breaks are normally provided for 1 to 2 weeks and should be planned throughout the year.

Home Based Respite

This service is to allow carers to go away from home for a short period and to provide care to the user in their own home. It can be used where there are specific reasons why the cared for person cannot be cared for in an alternative environment, e.g. very specific or complex care needs.

It can be arranged for a maximum of 2 weeks per year at a cost of £500 per week.

Again its use can be flexible. It can be used to buy in night-time care to give the carer some relief, or used to allow the carer to go away for a weekend. In practice it is requested for short-term specific events, weddings, family gatherings, etc.

Short Breaks

If you want to go on holiday, either alone or with the person you care for there are a number of things to consider.

  • Going away alone
    You may need to arrange alternative care for the person you look after. If you cannot afford to arrange this care, or can afford it but find making the arrangements too difficult, you should contact your local Social Services. They can arrange additional care in the home, extra visits to a day-care centre, or residential care for the person that you look after whilst you are away.

  • Going away together
    If you need to find accommodation to suit the needs of the person that you look after there are a number of voluntary agencies who can give details of holiday accommodation that is suitable for disabled people.

  • Respite Grant
    This is to help carers financially by giving them a grant toward organising their own break, either in this country or abroad. It is generally recognised that users do go with the carer, but that the break itself is of benefit to both user and carer. However, in some cases carers would like a separate break. The grant is £225 for each person, so a carer and user going would may be able to access up to £450. Proof of booking must be given to us before authorisation for payment is made. Also proof that travel or the holiday has taken place must also be provided. If possible this should be sent with the application form as it saves a lot of time.

  • Leisure Card
    Waltham Forest Carers Unit have linked up with Wellness Health and Fitness and can now offer a discounted rate to all 5 leisure centres in Waltham Forest, to carers of adults with disabilities. GLL Leisure for LBWF administers these cards. This card entitles people to a range of discounts in the leisure centres run by GLL for London Borough of Waltham Forest. The purpose of this scheme is to enable carers’ access to leisure services, and to provide them with physical, mental and emotional relief from their caring responsibilities. The cared for person must live in Waltham Forest.

  • Learning Grant incorporating Learning for Living
    The Learning Grant scheme provides a payment to the carer of up to £51 per year to assist with the cost of learning opportunities. The carer does not have to take up a vocational qualification, however proof of cost of the course must be presented with the application.

    Learning for Living is also funded through this route, and is a web based course for carers focussing on the skills that have been developed through their caring role.

  • Take a Break
    This scheme enables carers to have a regular break from their caring role for a short period of up to four hours every week. No personal care is provided as this service is mainly a sitting service- a worker will come in to the cared for persons home to sit with them (including assistance to prepare light snacks) for short periods, the carer may stay at home or go out to carry out a hobby or activity of their choice.

  • Direct Payments for Carers
    Direct Payments for carers work in exactly the same way as for service users; they offer the flexibility and choice, require a separate bank account and enable carers to buy in their own care, as they need it. Carers Direct Payments have been used to buy in sitting services, Home Based Respite and even Residential Respite.

Who to contact

Social Services

Call Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000, or visit your local Social Services office

Crossroads
Crossroads has a scheme which offers help to carers who look after adults and older people. Carers are offered up to four hours' break each week, at times that best suit the carer.

Waltham Forest Crossroads - Caring for Carers Ltd
590 Forest Road, Walthamstow  E17 3UD
Tel 020 8520 0137
Fax 020 8520 3475

Holidays
Holiday Care provides holiday information for disabled people and their carers.

Tel 0845 124 9971
Fax 0845 124 9972
Minicom 0845 124 9976
Web www.holidaycare.org.uk

For more information

For further information on the above services please contact:

Carers Development Worker
Tel 020 8496 3000