Community spirit and pulling together key to maintaining key NPT Swansea family service

Action for Children’s Neath Port Talbot (NPT) Swansea Community Short Breaks project has been going the extra mile to keep this vital service for children with a disability open during the coronavirus outbreak.

The project works closely with Swansea and NPT councils to support children and young people with disabilities to access community activities (POPS) and provides overnight stays with Family Link Carers in the area.

In the last two weeks, the project has received 10 new referrals from Swansea Council and is working flat out to maintain the highest levels of care while following government coronavirus advice.

Caroline Lewis, practice manager for NPT Swansea Community Short Breaks said: ‘I am exceptionally proud of how the whole team has responded to this tremendously challenging situation. The passion and commitment to the families we serve has been amazing. They have all worked flexibly to ensure the highest priority referrals are given the usual excellent service in the community.

‘We are using other Action for Children premises that are currently closed like Stepping Stones in Swansea and staff have been limited to working with a maximum of two families and are exercising rigorous cleaning regimes during and between sessions. By adapting so quickly, we have been able to help a family with a terminally ill parent and look after their children who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to go out. This work is crucial and the team’s hard work is making sure we can carry on.’

The project’s fostering Family Link Carers who provide overnight short breaks in the community have also stepped up to the plate with project practitioner, Louise Fisher, adding: ‘We are really fortunate to have wonderful Family Link Carers like Sharon Vigors. Sharon also works in a café in her local town but due to the current climate the café has closed. However, the first thing Sharon did was to inform us that she is available for whatever we may ask of her.

‘So far this has included two of her link families having extra nights. Sharon has also given longer hours than she usually can to her families during these past two weeks. She has a young person in her home nearly every day of the week so as well as providing extra support she has to deep clean her home after every visit. When I thanked Sharon for her commitment, she simply replied, “no, thank you for keeping me busy.”’