Have a Break!
Short Breaks at Derwen College offers young adults with special educational needs and disabilities a holiday experience away from home, where they can enjoy time with other like-minded young people. It offers guests a change from their daily routine and gives parents and carers a break from the demands of their role; caring – even for someone you love – can be an exhausting experience, which can leave you little time for yourself or other members of your family.
At Derwen College guests will be supported by specialist care staff, and will be assessed to ensure the correct level of support is given. Derwen is aware that it can be hard to entrust the care of a loved one to others, and every effort is made to make the process as simple as possible.
“Right from the beginning, staff were lovely and friendly, ensuring they had plenty of information regarding Amy’s needs. I would certainly recommend Short Breaks @Derwen to other families.”
These are the words of a parent whose daughter has now accessed Short Breaks @Derwen on three separate occasions enjoying the over-night experience of being away from home and spending time with peers of her own age in a fun environment with plenty of activities organised on and off site.
The College has a ‘Good’ CQC rating which reflects the high standards of care and good practice offered. Families are invited to view the house and to meet with staff.
Specially trained care and independence support workers, take time to find out about each guest, their interests and needs; each stay can then be tailored to include the best plan of activities for individual guests.
The Short Breaks House is modern and spacious, with six individual, en-suite bedrooms. Hoists are available for those who require them. There is a fully equipped kitchen and dining area, and meals are bespoke to guests’ preferences and needs. Laundry facilities are available for those who wish to use them. There is also full use of a communal lounge area with TV and WiFi, and a garden for guests to enjoy.
Parent and guest feedback for the short breaks facility has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents of one of the guests said: “A Short Break @Derwen gives our daughter the opportunity to have some time away from us with people of her own age in a structured and supportive environment. It also gives us as a family some time when we can have a break from the caring responsibilities and some down time. We want our daughter to develop more independence with the aim of eventually moving into supported living. She has a lot of fun with people of her age and is kept busy. She seemed to develop confidence and was a lot more willing to do things herself on returning.”
For more details visit Breaks @Derwen
