We know that some children and young people with disabilities require to be looked after on a full time basis due to their complex needs or difficulties within their families.
These children and young people are usually aged 5 to 16 and their disabilities/needs can include autism, learning disabilities, congenital defects or diseases.
We also know that families caring for children and young people with disabilities, including autism and complex health and learning needs benefit from short breaks with respite carers.
For parents or carers with full time care, respite breaks can give them and any other family members an opportunity to relax, do other tasks and spend time with family and friends. For children and young people with disabilities, respite breaks can give them an enjoyable break from their families, with real opportunities and choices to try new experiences, make friends and learn new skills.
What skills and qualities do you need to have?
In order to be willing to undertake this often challenging, but highly rewarding work, as well as the broad qualities required for fostering (more information) as carers for children and young people with disabilities you need to:
- have direct knowledge of disability, either through personal or professional experience
- be interested in helping children and young people with disabilities reach their full potential
- be willing to undergo specific training
- if appropriate, to learn related communication skills or be willing to administer medication if required
- be aware that some children and young people may need special medication or care routines
In addition to the support provided by the other members of the foster care team within SWIIS, carers of children and young people with disabilities will receive specialist training and access to a specialist advisor.
Ann – Single Carer
My name is Ann and I am 57 years old. I am a single carer, have been fostering since 1996, and joined SWIIS in February 2005. I have one son, who lives with his partner and my 22-month grandson. I became a foster carer because my gran was an ‘unofficial’ one. I grew up in a close community where folks looked after everyone else. I have carried this ethos throughout my life and knew I could offer young people support, care, and a safe, nurturing environment
I have looked after a 13-year-old boy since I started with SWIIS. He has ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Global Developmental Delay. His vision is affected by moderate hypermetropia with astigmatism. He has ‘good’ days and ‘bad’ days when he is louder, more impulsive and oppositional. Poor attention control, impulsivity and distractibility adversely affect his learning. There appears to be no trigger or pattern to such behaviours and management of his behaviour can prove challenging both to the school and myself
I didn’t intend to foster a young person with disability. He was an emergency placement and there was very little information on the extent of his disability. After the second day, I was ready for him to move on as he was extremely hard work. I was of the mind that I couldnt meet his needs as I believed a person had to be specially trained to do this. However, by the fifth day, we seemed to have made a connection and everything seemed to click into place. I wanted to do as much as I could for him and he responded well to boundaries and routines.
I heard about SWIIS through staff from the agency I previously fostered for. A new service was being created and the package of support they were providing was appealing.
I had previously worked with two of the staff who were transferring to SWIIS and I had formed a good supportive, working relationship with them and wanted this to continue.
As said previously, I had built a trusting relationship with my support team and they continued this within SWIIS. They accessed information on ADHD (as he didn’t have a diagnosis of his autism in the beginning), gave advice and helped access health advice and finally a diagnosis. They spoke with my family and extended family and addressed any concerns they had. They identified respite with other foster carers but it proved difficult for him. Primarily our needs were taken into account and they looked at my family to provide respite as he had quickly claimed them as his family too and the arrangements were particularly beneficial to him.
The biggest challenge was communication with him and the change to my whole routine, to my whole life. It was a new way of thinking and SWIIS accessed training on how to manage his disability, helped me access medical support and best of all helped me cope and still retain my sense of humour.
SWIIS have always been at the end of the phone and regularly visit to offer support and advice. They helped me understand his disability and how best to meet his needs while they met mine. My support team have gone above and beyond and will go out of their way to help. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t get better support anywhere else and feel a valued member of SWIIS.
