We are a UK based Research and Practice Development Group recently established to take forward research and practice on meaningful short breaks/respite care. The definition we use to describe short breaks is:
“A short break is any form of service or assistance which enables the carer(s) to have sufficient and regular periods away from their caring routines or responsibilities. The purpose is to support the caring relationship and promote the health and well-being of the carer, the supported person, and other family members affected by the caring situation.” For further detail click here
The UK group also works closely with the BREAK Exchange, an international group of researchers, respite providers, agencies, and individuals who are committed to building a culture of evidence-based respite care.
Shortcuts
Group Aims
- To support the building of research/practice partnerships to deliver nationally and internationally excellent work that makes a positive difference to the everyday lives of carers and people with complex support needs
- To facilitate knowledge exchange between academia, policy and practice in ways that encourage innovations in policy and practice development
Vision
- Research shall focus on supporting the delivery of broad ranging benefits from individual health and wellbeing through to policy change and enhanced service provision
Anticipated benefits for carers and people with complex support needs include:
- Positive, sustainable caring relationships
- Individualised breaks, responsive to need and personal preferences
- Co-produced research shall support the effective implementation of policy and practice commitments to carers, including:
- Piloting innovative ways to deliver short breaks
- Commissioning future provision that makes most effective use of resources
Membership
We welcome opportunities to work with academic and practice-based collaborators from across the UK and internationally. Please contact Diane Seddon: d.seddon@bangor.ac.uk
Steering Group
Emma Miller, Senior Research Associate, Social Work and Social Policy, the University of Strathclyde
Emma has led work on work on outcomes important to people who use services and unpaid carers for over ten years, both in Scotland and further afield. With a background in social work, Emma now works between research, policy and practice to ensure that what matters to people stays at the centre of decision making in services. She was involved in setting up and is on the co-ordinating group of the Personal Outcomes Network, a multi-agency national forum for promoting the voice of people who use services across sectors in health, social care and children and families’ services.
Diane Seddon, Reader in Social Care, School of Health Sciences, Bangor University
Diane has taken a leading role in developing a successful social care research programme, attracting research grants totalling over £7 million. She has an established reputation for completing policy relevant research that has impact. This includes reviews of national policy implementation such as the National Carers Strategies in England for the Department of Health, and in Wales for the Welsh Government. Diane contributes to the development and delivery of the Welsh Government’s Research Infrastructure Support System and leads initiatives to better integrate research, policy and practice.
Rosanna Ware, Lecturer, School of Wellbeing, Health and Social Care, The Open University
Rosanna is a Staff Tutor and Associate Lecturer based in The Open University office in Edinburgh, Scotland. Over the past 25 years her experience has been in Social Work and Social Care within the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors. Her substantive early experience was in Children & Families Social Work, later working specifically in fostering and adoption. Her research interests have developed from her experience of working with service users and carers in a variety of organisations, as well as personal experience of being a family carer. She works with Local Authorities and organisations in the West of Scotland to develop and widen access to the social work programme in Scotland. Within her current remit with the Open University she supports the Service User and Carer Strategy Group who work with the Professional Programmes, both Nursing and Social Work in Scotland.
Don Williamson, Chief Executive, Shared Care Scotland
Don has been the Chief Executive of Shared Care Scotland since January 2006. Prior to this he was the Programme Director in Edinburgh for the international leadership development charity Common Purpose, and before this was eight years with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as Assistant then Deputy Director for Scotland. Don has also worked in the outdoor education and environment sectors. Don was recently President of the International Short Breaks Association as part of Shared Care Scotland’s hosting of the 10th International Short Breaks conference in Edinburgh in 2016. Making effective links between policy, practice and research, in the field of short breaks and respite care, is a key focus of Don’s work at Shared Care Scotland.
News
October 2020
New research – Short breaks for people living with dementia and their carers: exploring wellbeing outcomes and informing future practice development through a Social Return on Investment approach
Researchers from the Bangor Institute of Health and Medical Research, Bangor University (Gill Toms, Diane Seddon, Rhiannon Tudor-Edwards and Carys Jones) and their partners Person Shaped Support UK Ltd and Shared Lives Plus have secured funding for a two-year study to explore an alternative to day centre support for people living with dementia and their families in North Wales. The study aims to understand how beneficial personalised short breaks can be and what elements of these breaks are important.
The study will explore a community-based service called TRIO provided by Person Shaped Support UK Ltd. Implementing the Shared Lives model, people living with dementia are matched with others who share similar interests and they regularly spend time together in the home of a TRIO companion who provides meaningful activities in the local community. The model is based on building genuine relationships between people and keeping people connected with their local community. There are seven Shared Lives schemes in Wales and the study will help to showcase this model of support.
The study will use an economic analysis – Social Return on Investment. This will enable the research team to evaluate the added social value created, considering the ‘value’ to peoples’ lives from their own perspectives. This approach will highlight what parts of TRIO are particularly important. The research will inform the work of professionals involved in commissioning and delivering services. It will also help establish the utility of Social Return on Investment analysis as a method to evaluate community-based models of support.
Contact points: Gill Toms (g.toms@bangor.ac.uk) and Diane Seddon (d.seddon@bangor.ac.uk)
Publications
Links
Wales School for Social Care Research
The Wales School for Social Care Research will contribute to the sustained co-production of excellent social care research that informs and enriches social care policy and practice in Wales in order to have a positive impact on people’s well-being across the life course (children, young people and adults).
Eurocarers – European Association Working for Carers
EUROCARERS is the European network representing informal carers and their organisations, irrespective of their age or the particular health and care need of the person they are caring for.
Social Work and Social Policy: University of Strathclyde
Social work & social policy. Our research helps shape social work policy and practice through partnerships with national and international agencies.
Building Respite Evidence and Knowledge (The BREAK Exchange)
The BREAK Exchange is an international group of researchers, respite providers, agencies, and individuals who are committed to building a culture of evidence-based respite care.
ARCH Respite Network
The mission of the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center is to assist and promote the development of quality respite and crisis care programs in the United States; to help families locate respite and crisis care services in their communities; and to serve as a strong voice for respite in all forums.
International Short Breaks Association
ISBA is a worldwide initiative comprised of individuals, agencies and organisations who are involved in the development and delivery of short breaks and respite care which promotes support for people to live ordinary lives.
Upcoming Events
20th January 2021 – Short Breaks: Learning from Lockdown, (online event): click here for more information
22nd – 25th June 2021 – Moving Respite Forward, International Short Breaks Association Conference, Madison, USA, (online event): click here for more information
Past Events
Meaningful Short Breaks, UK Short Breaks Research & Practice Development Group, 7th May 2020