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Home from Home

Short family-based breaks for people with disabilities

Home from Home is a Project that offers short family-based breaks to people with disabilities in the North Cork and South West/South East Limerick areas.

It involves looking after a child or an adult with special needs in a Host family’s home for planned short periods of time. It gives the service user’s family a well-earned break from the responsibility of full time care. Some families want short breaks – a few hours from time to time, while others need overnight stays, or help during school and summer holidays. There is no such thing as a typical arrangement as each varies according to the needs of the child or adult placed.

Watch our video on Home from Home 


Caring for a child or an adult

Caring for a child or an adult with a disability poses many challenges and in meeting these challenges, time off for the service users, their parents and carers. For these families, care giving is often a lifelong responsibility, beginning a process of continuous adjustment in their daily lives.

All Carers need a break now and then, to have time for themselves away from the responsibilities of caring for their families. This is also true for families of people with disabilities, only for these families, it may be more difficult to arrange. Home from Home provides families with a temporary break and an opportunity for all to recharge their batteries. Service Users can benefit from short breaks as much as their families.

It is envisaged that Home from Home will provide respite for children and adults in a homely atmosphere. The breaks offer opportunities for Service Users to meet new people, widen their social circle, offer new experiences and form friendships outside their families.


Become a Host Carer

To become a Host Carer, preparatory training is offered and an assessment is completed. The training outlines what is required of Host Carers and it is an opportunity to meet other prospective carers. In addition to training, potential Host families participate in an assessment process. Home from Home involves all residing family members. When approved, Host families have the opportunity to meet the person with special needs and their family prior to the break. This is to ensure that a successful and appropriate match is made. You will be provided with detailed information about the person who will be staying with you.

We welcome people from all walks of life and experience. There are no formal qualifications required or previous experience in disability is not necessary. Preparatory training, support and expenses are provided. A prospective Host Carer can be working, retired or unemployed, with or without children, single or with a partner and over 18 years of age.

What Host families have in common is enjoying the company of children and adults with a disability and be able to give some time on a regular basis.

Benefits in becoming a Host Carer:

  • Satisfaction in helping others, offering a real, supportive service
  • A sense of achievement and fulfilment, a rewarding and enjoyable experience
  • Making friends and developing trusting friendships.
  • A way of taking part in the local community.
  • Greater awareness and understanding of disability
  • Adds a dimension to your life, building new skills and experience, self-confidence and self-development.
  • Special commitment and time
  • A warm, caring and communicative nature & a desire to offer support
  • Be dependable and trustworthy with an understanding and a genuine interest in people with a learning disability
  • A patient temperament, and be prepared to learn
  • To accept someone in your home as part of the family
  • Common sense and strong motivation

Download the Home from Home application form here