To ask the Minister of Health to detail the definition each Health and Social Care Trust has for a short break in terms of respite care.

There are agreed short break definitions in terms of respite care within Children’s and Adult Services, which are utilised by all Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs) across Northern Ireland.

Adult Services: Short break care is defined as the provision of regular, occasional or emergency but time limited breaks to those who are caring for others. It is any activity or service of limited duration designed to provide a break for the persons cared for and their carer from the usual commitment. Such a break can be provided on a regular basis over a long term.

Children’s Services: Short breaks aim to allow a child with a disability to have enjoyable planned experiences away from their primary carers and to create some personal space for carers. The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 [the Children Order] provides that children accommodated for a period of 24 hours or more outside their family home are deemed to be Children Looked After.

HSCTs utilise both statutory and independent sector providers to provide short breaks. Short break services can also be provided through domiciliary care support within people’s own homes. Direct Payments can also facilitate short breaks for individuals and their carers. Shared Lives is also an option for older people and for adults with a learning disability.

HSCTs also deliver short breaks (a series of short term-term placements with the same Foster Carer or in the same place) through Trust provision or in partnership with the community and voluntary sector.

Provision of short break services is aligned to assessed needs and within the financial resources available to each Trust.