§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision there is for respite care for adults with special needs in the Northern Health and Social Services Board Area; and what plans there are to increase provision in the constituency of East Antrim. [131038]
§ Angela SmithThe Northern Health and Social Services Board advises that the provision of respite services to support adults with special needs differs between the two Community Health and Social Services Trusts in its area.
In Causeway Health and Social Services Trust service provision is almost exclusively through the Trust's own family based respite care scheme. In Homefirst Health and Social Services Trust the model of provision is slightly different, drawing mainly on services provided through a family based scheme run by the voluntary sector, while also using a limited amount of statutory sector provision. This year the Northern Health and Social Services Board provided additional resources to increase family based respite, in conjunction with the voluntary sector, in the East Antrim area.