To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of the role of (i) voluntary sector organisations; and (ii) Health and Social Care Trusts, in providing respite services to parents.

The Community/Voluntary sector (CVS) has a key role in supporting a wide range of individuals and their families. The HSC Board and Trusts commission a wide range of services from the CVS including those services related to short breaks/respite. The range of services available provides a more flexible response for families and is seen as going beyond the traditional model of residential respite.

Short Breaks has been subject to recent review undertaken by the RQIA and the HSC Board is currently taking forward a response to the recommendations contained within this review (http://www.rqia.org.uk/cms_resources/Respite_Rep_FINALREPORT_ISBN_.pdf). In addition, the NI Assembly Research and Information Service has completed a briefing paper in relation to Short Breaks for Families of Children with Disability (NIAR 825-13) which provides a comprehensive overview of practice in NI and across the rest of the UK.

With an ageing population, there is a need for the consideration of the needs of older parents caring for an adult with a disability. In such cases the individual needs of the carer and person cared for require to be assessed in terms of ensuring a person centred response. The HSC Board and Trusts are currently seeking to increase the number of carers’ assessments offered and undertaken across all programmes of care. The HSC Board and Trusts have also developed a regional project to further develop initiatives such as Direct Payments, personalised budgets and enhancement of the Self Directed Support model which should offer broader choice and control for carers, including respite/short breaks.

This work, as noted in Transforming Your Care, is currently on-going and a Regional and Trust project structure has been developed. The aim of this work is to create a broader model of service provision and greater emphasis on choice for carers. Such a model is already well established in Great Britain.