Carer's breaks
Respite services give you a break from your caring role so you can rest, recharge or focus on your own wellbeing. While you take time for yourself, the person you care for is supported in a safe and caring environment.
Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service CQC report – Care Quality Commission.
Eligibility for a carer’s break
We will need to look at your individual situation to see if you qualify for a carer’s break and if we feel it will help you. To do this you will need a carer’s assessment.
Carer’s breaks are for the benefit of you – for your wellbeing. But it is very important that the services we provide for the person you care for:
- are suitable for their care needs
- agrees to this service
So if they have not already had one, the person you care for will also need an assessment of care needs.
The cost of care services will vary depending on the type of service required.
During your assessment your needs will be discussed with you, and we will help you to access the service required to meet those needs.
To access short stay services the person with a learning disability must be eligible and be referred by the Community Learning Disability and Autism Team.
The carer must also have received their own carer’s assessment from us.
Paying for a carer's break
The cost of care services will vary depending on the type of service required.
During your assessment your needs will be discussed with you, and we will help you to access the service required to meet those needs.
For some services there may be a charge, and for others, such as the sitting service, there is no charge.
For services where there is a charge, such as the carer’s short break, the person you care for will need to have a financial assessment to decide if, and how much, they will have to pay.
Types of breaks
There are various types of breaks available.
Day opportunities
We support young people, adults or elderly persons who need care and support due to mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities, to have fun, learn, and socialise, in a safe and friendly environment.
We support people to learn new skills, and live their life to the full, offering a diverse and broad range of support for people - education, therapeutic, social learning, and community participation.
Sitting service
If the person needing care cannot be left unattended while you go out, a sitting service may be provided. This is where someone else comes into their home to be with them so that you can go out and have some time of your own.
There are providers, care agencies, and personal assistants that can deliver flexible support at home. If eligible, Adult Social Care may be able to support with this as part of your carers assessment. Or you can arrange this service yourself on a regular basis or as and when you need it.
You can find providers by using our online information and support directory and the Luton Directory.
Carer’s short break
This is when the person you care for has a temporary stay in a residential or nursing home, or a learning disabilities respite. You might want to plan your carer’s short break in advance. Maybe you need to make arrangements for a special day out or you want to book a trip away, or maybe you need to give your family and friends enough notice so they can arrange the time off too.
Respite accommodation
We use many different places where adults with a learning disability can have a short stay. Usually the person will have their own room in a house, or other building, which is also shared by other people with a learning disability and with care staff on site. Choosing which venue and service is most appropriate is based of the needs of the individual.
Shared Lives
Shared Lives is different from traditional residential care because the person lives in the carer’s own home. A Shared Lives home can support up to three adults at any one time, creating a small, stable and homely environment.
Other breaks
If the person you care for you would prefer to choose a service to meet their care and support needs, which is not directly funded by us, and which will also allow you to a take a break, then we may be able to pay the money to them so that they can arrange this service.