AQW 38417/22-27
Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast
Tabled Date: 16/01/2026
Answered On Date: 16/02/2026
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of individuals currently assessed as requiring respite support, in each Health and Social Care Trust.
Answer:
Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs) provided the following response outlining the number of individuals assessed as requiring respite/short break support, as noted below. South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust (SEHSCT): Children’s Services Within the SEHSCT there are currently 99 children availing of respite/ short breaks through a combination of residential short breaks, fostering short breaks, Children’s Disability community in-reach short breaks and Children’s Disability community in-reach short breaks contracted through the voluntary sector. These 99 children receive short breaks on a regular basis, however the Fostering Service also delivered episodic short breaks to 93 children within the Delegated Statutory reporting period between April and September 2025 to support placements both within care and within the community. In relation to the combination of the above services there are currently 77 children on the various waiting lists to receive respite/short breaks. ADULT SERVICES Mental Health Services There are no commissioned respite/short break beds in the Trust for adults known to Mental Health Services. Respite/short break beds are spot purchased when essential and there are currently no people identified as requiring this support. Adults Learning Disability Services There are 454 individuals currently assessed as requiring respite/short break support in Adult Learning Disability Services within the Trust. In Adult Learning Disability Services there are 32 service users on a waiting list for respite/short breaks. Physical and Sensory Services There are 39 individuals currently assessed as requiring respite/short breaks support in Adult Physical Disability and Sensory Support Services. This includes access to bed-based care, domiciliary support and direct payments. Older People’s Services In Older People’s Services approximately 8-10% of the Older People’s Community Teams’ caseloads have been assessed as requiring and have availed of respite/short breaks, this equates to between 573-458 individuals. There is no waiting list for respite care/short breaks in Older People’s Services. The Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT): Children’s Services The SHSCT Children with Disabilities Service currently provide overnight short breaks provision via short breaks residential placements and short breaks fostering placements. As of the 21st January 2026, the total number of children assessed as requiring and receiving overnight short breaks are 36 children via short breaks residential placements, and 18 children via active short break fostering homes. As of the 21st January 2026, the total number of children awaiting access to overnight short breaks are 20 children awaiting short break residential provision, and 24 children awaiting short breaks fostering provision. In addition, short breaks are provided to children and families through self-directed support packages, summer schemes, day clubs, voluntary sector contracted individual development schemes, voluntary sector non-contracted individual development schemes, after-school provision, supported playgroup schemes, specialist childminding schemes, Education Authority/Southern Trust development schemes, domiciliary care and youth clubs. The SHSCT also has access to refer families who have children with complex health needs for provision including Community Children’s Nursing Healthcare workers, Hospice at Home and Children’s Hospice. As of the 21st January 2026, the total number of children awaiting access to day short breaks are 135, and a short break service as detailed above is provided to 655 children and young people. Adult Services Mental Health Services The SHSCT provides short break support through a range of commissioned services including bed based short break services, domiciliary care, self-directed support (direct payments or flexible short break direct payment), activity weekends. In Mental Health and Memory Services short breaks (respite) is needs assessed/carer assessed on an individual basis and short breaks are sourced at that point in time. A waiting list is therefore not held by Mental Health or Memory Services. There are currently 5 service users open to Memory Services assessed as needing bed based short break at this time, this is currently being sourced. Learning Disability Services In Learning Disability Services there are 361 service users assessed as needing bed based short breaks, there are currently 323 service users receiving a short break service. There is a waiting list in place for short breaks (respite), and at present there are 21 service users on this list. There are an additional 17 service users referred into the short break service who have yet to be allocated a short break provider. In respect of these 17 referrals, 7 are young people who are transitioning into Adult Services from Children and Young People Services. Physical Disability Services There are 27 service users open to Physical Disability Teams (age 18-65) assessed as needing a bed based short break at this time. There are currently 18 individuals receiving a short break service and 9 service users who are waiting to receive respite. Bed based short break availability for this population is limited and difficult to commission. These service users are offered a flexible short break direct payment as an alternative to enable them to use this funding flexibly and provide their carers with a break. Older People’s Services There are 629 service users in Older People’s Services assessed as requiring respite/short break support, with the following number of individuals receiving a variety of respite/short break supports, 39 residential home care, 101 nursing home care, 464 domiciliary short break and 25 individuals receiving flexible respite. The Southern Health and Social Care Trust advise that they are not currently in a position to be able to report the number of people waiting for respite support within their Older People’s Services. With the rollout of Encompass, the Trust have advised they are looking into further developing their reporting functions to enable the reporting of this information moving forward. Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT): Children’s Services The WHSCT advise there are 354 children assessed as requiring respite/short break support within the Children’s Disability Service. At present the Trust note there are 9 children on a waiting list for bed-based respite and 9 children awaiting access to community and voluntary short break activities, within the Children with Disability Service. The Trust have also advised that within the Children and Young People Autism Service, 82 children/young people are assessed as requiring respite/short break support. The WHSCT further noted within the Children/Young People Autism Service there are 120 children on a waiting list for assessment for self-directed support (which includes short breaks), with 15 children/young people currently undergoing assessment. Mental Health Services There are 60 individuals assessed as requiring respite/short break support. Within Adult Mental Health Services the respite/support breaks services available include monthly Carers groups/social evening events organised by the Trust, 1-1 support / social outings for service users, designed to give the carer a break. Service Users may also avail of the Opportunity of a short break of 2-3 days accompanied by staff. Learning Disability Services There are currently 391 individuals within Learning Disability Services, assessed as requiring respite/short break support. Currently four individuals are awaiting respite/short break support. Physical Disability Services There are currently 62 individuals within Physical Disability Services assessed as requiring respite/short break support, with no individuals currently awaiting respite/short break support within this service area. Older Peoples The WHSCT advised there are 19 individuals assessed as requiring respite/short break support. The WHSCT report there are no individuals on a waiting list for respite/short break support. Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT): Children’s Services The NHSCT advise within Children’s Services 41 children have been assessed as requiring respite within a community Share the Care setting, with 8 children on a waiting list for this service. The Trust further note that 57 children have been assessed as requiring bed-based respite/short breaks, within 9 children on a waiting list. The Trust further note that alternative services are offered to those awaiting respite/short breaks including direct payments. Mental Health Services The NHSCT advise there is no waiting list for short breaks in dementia and mental health. Temporary short breaks in community care homes are offered on an ad hoc as they become available. Learning Disability Services The NHSCT report there are 300 adult service users with a learning disability assessed as needing short breaks, with 41 individuals on a waiting list for respite/ short break support. Physical Disability Services The NHSCT report there are no waiting lists for respite/short breaks within this service area, as respite/short breaks are organised on an ad-hoc basis as required. Older Peoples The NHSCT report there are no waiting lists for respite/short breaks within this service area, as respite/short breaks are organised on an ad-hoc basis as required. Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT): Children’s Services The BHSCT advise that within their Children with Disabilities service, there are a total of 70 children with disabilities who have been assessed as requiring overnight short breaks and are on the waiting list currently. Mental Health Services The BHSCT advise that there are currently no people identified as requiring this support. Learning Disability Services The BHSCT advise they do not record actual numbers of individuals assessed as requiring respite. However they report that there are 12 service users within this programme of care waiting for respite services to commence. Physical Disability Services The BHSCT report there are currently 8 people assessed as requiring respite support within this service area.
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