Debate contribution: Respite Care
Debate contribution by Mr Robin Swann on .
- MLA
- Mr Robin Swann
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 21 May 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Respite Care
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4491601
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The Member raises a point about the repurposing of a number of our facilities to look after young people who need more-intense, long-term care. I recognise that having a reduced number of facilities and a reduced workforce has meant that our ability to provide placements for those young people was actually an ask for political representatives from the area. There has been that displacement, unfortunately, while we build up our capacity elsewhere. With regard to planning for the future, I initiated a task and finish group, which has been established by my Department, to finalise the adult learning disability services model and the children with disabilities framework. Further to that, the Department has established a children's services reform process to reform our children's services while we look at where additional facilities and provision can be made. As I said in my initial answer, we are seeing increased demand and pressure in that area and increased acuity among the young people whom we support. We are trying to fit the facilities that we have, supported by the staff that we have at this time, to the young people affected to meet their higher needs. It is unfortunate that other parents and families are losing out on respite services, and I do not want to see that continuing.
216 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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