Barnardo's Community Links

This Barnardo’s service offers a variety of short break arrangements to Disabled children and their families living in the Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan areas.

Link carer and retained carer service
This service provides overnight short breaks in carer’s homes, enabling the child to have new and different experiences, make new friends, have some independence, as well as giving a break to their parents/ carers. These short breaks are provided by link carers, who are individuals or couples, who have a child to stay in their home for an overnight or a weekend at a time. They are approved as foster carers, paid an allowance and supported by the Barnardo’s project workers.

Retained Carers work with children, who have more complex needs, which make it difficult for them to access a Link Carer placement. They are also approved carers. They are paid a retainer fee on top of any allowances to ensure their availability to provide care. Retained carers provide up to 200 nights of care per year.

Community based leisure activities and sitting in
The service also offer community based leisure activities or sitting in services provided by Sitters, Sessional Workers and Volunteer Befrienders. Sessional Workers are Barnardo’s staff members, who work with children on an individual basis to help them participate in leisure activities in their community or to provide a sitting in service in the child’s home. Volunteer befrienders also work with children in the child’s home or in the
local community. Volunteer befrienders do not undertake personal care tasks. However, they can also work alongside more experienced staff members. The amount of time provided and the activities being pursued would be planned jointly with the child, their family and social workers. In general, most sessions are three hours long.

To access these services, children are referred by their Social Worker or Health Visitor. There can sometimes be a wait until the right carer becomes available.