The strain placed upon families of children with disabilities can be enormous. The support services for these families provide them with the vital break they need from 24-hour caring. The staff become part of the child / young person's extended family and provide practical and emotional support to these families.

Special Friends :
The sessions of the agency, which can last from as little as two hours up to a full day, can be spent in the family home or accompanying and assisting the child / young person to join in leisure activities in the community. The project worker could also accompany the whole family on an outing as an additional pair of hands. Ongoing support is offered to the project worker and the family to ensure that the match is working well and that the child / young person is benefiting from the service.

The Agency carefully trains and screens the project workers before matching them to a family. The ongoing support and a sensitive assessment of need, forming a close partnership with both families and other professionals is provided. Referrals are welcome from social workers on behalf of the families or from the families themselves. The Special Friends service is available throughout the North East region. - 0191 228 0111

 Local Authority Area :Newcastle-upon-Tyne

 Number of Users : 180

Care Agency Type: Domiciliary Care

Manager

Margaret Heslop

Inspection Reports
Inspection Report for Special Friends Project 12/15/2006