AQW 43575/22-27
Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast
Tabled Date: 31/03/2026
Answered On Date: 15/05/2026
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on respite availability in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust.
Answer:
The South Eastern Health and Social Care Children’s Learning Disability Service delivers a continuum of Short Breaks from community based Short Breaks delivered by the contracted voluntary and community sector as well as core service staff, through to overnight Residential or Fostering Short Breaks. In relation to the Community and Voluntary Sector - the Trust contracts with Positive Futures, Cedar Foundation and the YMCA who deliver community based Short Breaks on a weekly basis for a 3-hourly session for 90 young people. The Children’s Disability Outreach Service (previously known as LynC) provides in reach and outreach day short breaks to children within the service. Since its inception in January 2021 this has been a very effective and valued provision for families. Recruitment is almost complete for an additional 6 new staff, which will treble the service provision and allow for additional, much needed support to children and families. This has taken time to achieve, in terms of the recruitment, induction and training of the staff and setting up the systems and processes to facilitate the expansion. Currently the Service supports 19 children, who have been receiving 2:1 outreach support either weekly or fortnightly breaks. The Team has also provided occasional and holiday supports to an additional 32 young people across the service. With the full staff team soon to be in place, the plan for 2026 is to achieve the agreed target of 60 young people per year in receipt of this support. The Children’s Disability Fostering Short Breaks service is a small team of 2 staff, and the carers provide overnight short breaks to children with disabilities known to the Children’s Disability Community Teams. There are 5 approved foster carers who provide a very welcome monthly 2-night short break to 6 children and young people and their families who are very positive about the service. The aim is to expand the provision with the addition of another Social Worker, which is in the recruitment process. The delivery of overnight short breaks to families has been reduced as a consequence of the number of children requiring long-term care, however, the expansion of Greenhill has been positive. The facility has expanded to open 6 nights per week and 21 children are receiving overnight support over a monthly period. The Trust was successful in registering the Redwood Home during December 2025, which will be providing care to three young people with disabilities. Two of these young people will have a shared care arrangement. Finally, the Trust supports 16 children through the provision of morning and after schools’ provision by contracting with the Day Care provider Cool Kids, based in Newtownards. This support is delivered on a daily and weekly basis with a number of young people also availing of this service during weekends.
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