Matching short break services for children with learning disabilities to family needs and preferences

Short breaks or respite care is a much-valued service by families and the d emand for it is likely to exceed supply. It is all the more imperative that the services provided are matched to the needs and preferences of families . A census was undertaken within one Health and Social Services Board in No rthern Ireland of families who received short break services for their chil d with disabilities during a 12-month period. Information was also collecte d on pertinent child and family characteristics. This enabled profiles to b e drawn up of the recipients of six types of short-term breaks: (1) hospita l-based overnight care; (2) overnight stays in a residential home; (3) domi ciliary service in the family home; (4) breaks provided in another family h ome; (5) residential holidays; and (6) breaks provided through leisure sche mes organized after-school or during holidays. A second study entailed inte rviews with families who were resident in one area served by a Health and S ocial Service Trust regarding their usage and preferences for each type of service noted above. This too identified variations in parental preferences and usage. This information gathered should assist commissioners in develo ping cost-beneficial short break services although further research is need ed to validate the possible predictors for each service.