About the Short Breaks Fund
Short Breaks Fund
The Short Breaks Fund aims to increase the range and availability of short breaks across Scotland
Overview
The Short Breaks Fund provides grants to third sector organisations that support unpaid carers to take a break from their caring role. Shared Care Scotland operates three of the Short Breaks Fund programmes on behalf of the National Carers Organisations and the Scottish Government. These are funded on an annual, rolling basis.
Better Breaks
The Better Breaks programme provides 12-month grants to third sector organisations to develop and deliver short breaks projects and services for disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under), and their carers (adult carers and/or young carers).
This programme opens for applications in Autumn each year.
Better Breaks
The Short Breaks Fund is vital to us. Without it many of our service users and their carers would not take part in any holiday activities or have respite. The application and reporting is clear and user-friendly, and the team always helpful.The DASH CLUB
Creative Breaks
The Creative Breaks programme provides 12-month grants to third sector organisations to develop and deliver short breaks projects and services for carers of adults (aged 21 years and over), young carers (caring for children or adults), and those that they care for.
This programme opens for applications in Spring each year
Creative Breaks
It allows us to be truly creative, and we value being able to model the project around ongoing carer feedback offering 'Wee Breaks,' one carer said, "I was encouraged and supported to try the activities, that I would never dream of trying.Borders Carers Centre
Time to Live
The Time to Live programme provides grant funding to carers organisations (usually carers centres) to develop and deliver microgrants schemes for ALL unpaid carers living in Scotland. Time to Live enables carers to access funds and support to help them take short breaks that meet their needs. This programme is not open to unsolicited applications.
Time to Live
“I used my microgrant for driving lessons. It helped me have a break and learn a skill, I now feel more independent. When I pass I can take mum out and also get home quickly when I need to, I am eternally grateful to the fund for this opportunity.Emma young carer
More information
A fourth Short Breaks Fund programme - Take a Break - is administered by Family Fund, on behalf of the Scottish Government. This programme provides grants to parent carers (unpaid carers and eligible kinship carers) of disabled or seriously ill children and young people, aged 0 to 17. The aim of this fund is to improve unpaid carers’ quality of life, health and wellbeing by providing cash grants to help them access a short break from the day-to-day routine of caring. Take a Break grants can be used flexibly, to help meet the interests and circumstances of the carer.
Our approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI)
At Shared Care Scotland, we are committed to transparency and accountability in the administration of the Short Breaks Fund. In line with this, we wish to acknowledge that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as language models, may be used to support the drafting and preparation of funding and related documentation, including funding applications and preparation of mid-grant and end-of-year grant impact reports.
Find out more about our approach to AI usage.