Debate contribution: Respite Provision for Adults with Learning Difficulties, Complex Needs and Challenging Behaviour
Debate contribution by Mr Timothy Gaston on .
- MLA
- Mr Timothy Gaston
- Party at the time
- Traditional Unionist Voice
- Date
- 21 October 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Respite Provision for Adults with Learning Difficulties, Complex Needs and Challenging Behaviour
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4604288
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The motion and the amendments rightly highlight the lack of respite provision for adults and children with learning difficulties, complex needs and challenging behaviours. In many cases, the lack of respite falls to unpaid carers. Considering that some 222,000 people in Northern Ireland — approximately 12% of our population — work as unpaid carers, this debate touches on issues that are of enormous significance to many people in our Province. While there are people of all ages involved in this work, I acknowledge that more than 3,000 children under the age of 15 are carers. In many of those cases, they are family members who have sacrificed their lives to care for a loved one. Carers put the welfare of a relative who is elderly, is sick or has special needs before their own welfare and, in many cases, care for more than one person in need. While there are Members who go off on holiday, even when the Assembly is sitting, the people whom we are talking about often give up opportunities to go away with friends or family so that they can care for the person, or people, to whom they have devoted their life. The charity Carers UK recently conducted a survey that revealed some stark statistics: 82% of carers — an increase from 77% from the previous year — said that the impact of caring on their physical and mental health would be a challenge over the coming year; 79% felt stressed or anxious; half felt depressed; half felt lonely; and almost three quarters said that they continue providing care even though they feel that they are at breaking point. I take this opportunity to highlight and encourage someone in my constituency who is a carer for her husband and child. Donna Bryce launched a carers' coffee club in Ballymena for carers living locally who know the daily struggles of being a carer, as highlighted in the Carers UK survey. When setting up the group, Donna stated:
"I know the exhaustion of caring, I know the sleepless nights and tears shed, and I am a firm believer of selfcare and taking time for 'me' to recharge my batteries so I can be all I need to be for my loved ones."
That is a powerful testimony of a carer detailing their lived experience. In the short time that that group has been running, it has provided valuable support and a space for local carers to come together to share their experiences and make friendships. I wish to encourage Donna, her mum, Doreen Armstrong, and Christine O'Brien who provide that opportunity locally. I trust that, in the future, the trust could support that carers' coffee club to allow the support network to be replicated in other areas across Northern Ireland. In closing, and going back to the motion, I draw Members' attention to the fact that the United Kingdom's Carer's Leave Act 2023 provides for one week's unpaid leave for adults with caring responsibilities in England, Scotland and Wales. Since employment law is a devolved matter, no statutory carer's leave is available in Northern Ireland. That is an issue on which devolution has not delivered, as is the case on many other issues. More needs to be done to provide a greater level of respite. On that basis, I am supportive of the amendments.
557 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.92).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.04 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.92 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.98 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:26 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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