As the summer holidays approach, you might find yourself questioning how you’ll look after your loved one with autism while there is no school. If you look after an adult with autism, you might also be wondering where the best places to get respite care are when you simply need a short break.
Taking a break
It’s ok to need a rest from taking care of someone, in fact, it’s completely normal! You also need time to look after yourself and refresh, especially if you care for your loved one the majority of the time.
What is Respite Care?
Respite care means taking a break from caring, while the person you care for is looked after by someone else. It lets you take time out to look after yourself and helps stop you becoming exhausted and run down [i].
For children and young people
KIDS is an organisation that provides short breaks for families to help reduce stress and give the family a rest while providing the child or young person with the opportunity to discover new interests, meet new people and experience fun activities.
The short breaks that KIDS take your child or young person out into a community setting with a specialist KIDS worker. This can be such activities as the cinema, bowling or to the local swimming pool. KIDS workers can also provide care for your loved one in your own home while the rest of the family go out, or they can accompany you and your family on an outing supporting all members of the family to have an enjoyable shared experience [ii].
Visit disabledchildren.org.uk where you can access an online portal to book your short breaks and manage your bookings for your loved one. The website also provides other family’s stories of using the service.
For adults
The National Autistic Society offers residential and supported living options across the UK. Their residential services provide accommodation and support for autistic adults for the whole year [iii]. All their services are CQC registered. The supported living is designed for autistic adults and provides extra support to live in their own homes or within accommodation, to live alone or with others [iv].
For more on respite care for adults, view our blog on the types of respite care available and what the benefits are.
