We provide respite breaks for carers of adults with a learning disability.

We provide regular short breaks for family carers combined with social and recreational activities for adults with a learning disability. We currently support 200 family carers, delivering almost 24,000 hours of short respite breaks each year, operating in the Belfast, Bangor and Lisburn area.

Our Weekly Breaks

It is the relationships we form with family carers and their relative with a learning disability that make this service so special. The opportunity for carers to recharge their batteries, for their son or daughter to have fun and develop their social skills, all within a background of friendship and understanding, is we believe invaluable.

Our service operates in the evenings and at weekends which is a time that family carers have told us they really need it. Community Respite Workers – our staff, meet with a client at their home around tea-time. Then they go out together for an evening’s fun, if they wish, clients can meet up and spend some time with others involved in the service.

It could be a visit to the theatre, a meal in a local restaurant, or a trip to the cinema to see the latest film. Caring Breaks also organises evening activities and events such as arts and crafts, dance and drama, yoga etc at our premises in Belfast. Importantly, it is our clients who choose how they spend their own leisure time.

For family carers this short break, lasting usually around 4 hours each week, not only gives them the chance to have some time to themselves, but crucially as they have told us, it gives them peace of mind.

"Peter loves these breaks as this type of freedom doesn’t happen at any other time in the week”

Karen & Stanley Gamble | South Belfast
"Jennifer loves Caring Breaks, she lives for it"

Gemma Corr | North Belfast
"I needed help to keep going, and about four years ago, Caring Breaks rescued me"

Rachel Barrett | Belfast

READ OUR CARERS' STORIES

Our Weekend Breaks and Day Trips

Caring Breaks runs a series of weekend breaks each year in various locations throughout Northern Ireland. Over the course of three days, clients get the opportunity to participate in a variety of outdoor pursuits such as canoeing, archery, abseiling etc. We also provide a range of chilled-out and relaxing weekend breaks for clients who prefer that option.

The weekend breaks have the dual outcome of giving family carers a much-needed break, whilst at the same time giving their son or daughter the chance to spend a fun weekend with friends.

Our staff are always keen to provide support on the weekend breaks because they feel it is a real privilege to spend time with our clients. We can rely on our staff to provide the right level of support to ensure that our clients can relax and have fun on a weekend away. For their parents and carers, these weekend breaks provide the longest break that most can expect all year.

We also run a series of day trips, usually on a Saturday. These trips provide a full day’s respite for family carers (9am – 7pm). Recent day trips included a visit to the Ulster American Folk Park, to Portrush and Christmas Shopping in Newry.