Short Breaks for Children with Additional Needs - Margaret's Story

• Fostering Stories
• Tags: Short Breaks Carers

Margaret has been providing weekend short breaks for children with special educational needs and disabilities for 15 years.  She told us about the benefits of short breaks care and what it means to her. 

What is Short Breaks Fostering?

Short breaks fostering is a rewarding way to make a difference in the lives of children and young people with disabilities. It provides a safe, welcoming and fun environment for children — whilst giving their parents or carers the opportunity to rest and recharge. It usually involves providing regular weekend care, once a month, to a child for an extended period of time.

As a short breaks foster carer, you’ll give children the chance to experience new activities, develop independence, and build valuable social skills. 

Margaret's Story

Margaret’s journey into fostering began when she was working in a special school. She already had experience supporting children with additional needs and felt she could provide a nurturing and fun environment for them.

“I knew the type of children I would be best suited to care for. Even though I had my own four children at home, I thought, ‘I can do this one weekend a month.’ My two eldest had gone to university, and my younger boys were really keen to be involved.”

Since then, she has welcomed three very different children into her home, each with their own unique needs.

A Flexible Way To Make A Difference

For Margaret, short breaks fostering has been a flexible way to support children and their families whilst fitting around her own life.

“One weekend a month offers me the flexibility to fit fostering around my lifestyle. If I have something specific planned, we adjust the dates so that it works for everyone.”

Margaret remembers one bright autistic boy with a love of trains, who she provided short breaks to for 12 years until he turned 18.

“He was with us for so long that he became part of our family. Now he’s 21 and working as a teaching assistant in a special school. We still see him regularly—he’ll always be special to us.”

Margaret now provides short term breaks to a 10-year-old non-verbal girl who requires full support with self-care. One weekend each month, Margaret plans days out tailored to her needs.

“We take her to places she might not otherwise visit. Her mum doesn’t always have the confidence to take her to certain places because of her behaviour, but once you get to know a child, you learn how to manage that. You adapt, just like you would with any child.”

• "Having a child once a month has allowed me to develop strong relationships with them and to enjoy our time together. I know that parents have valued the support that I offer and feel that it has allowed them time to recharge their batteries." Margaret

The Benefits of Short Breaks Fostering

Short breaks fostering benefits everyone involved.

“For families, it provides respite and support, helping them continue to manage as a unit. For me, it’s been an incredible experience that has extended my skill set beyond what I already knew from working in a special school.”

It has also had a positive impact on Margaret and her family.

“My children have grown up understanding differences in people, which has made them more accepting. My daughter and her husband have even become short breaks foster carers because they saw how rewarding it was.”

The Impact on Children

Short breaks fostering provides children with a nurturing space to grow and thrive outside their usual environment.

“One of the boys I looked after had a brother with severe autism who needed constant support. Coming to me gave him a break from that environment and allowed him to be himself. His parents always said that time away helped him so much.”

Advice for Future Foster Carers

Margaret encourages anyone considering fostering to be fully committed and prepared for challenges.

“There will be tough moments, just like with any child. But if you stick with it, the rewards are incredible. You have to be consistent and make sure the child is the right fit for your family.”

She also stresses the importance of understanding the young persons background and what they might have experienced.

“It’s important to know where they’ve come from and what they’ve been through. Things like attachment and trauma are significant in a child’s life, and you need to be prepared to support them through that.”