To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department or a Health and Social Care Trust has made a referral to an overnight respite care facility for (i) adults; and (ii) children, in (a) Scotland; (b) England; (c) Wales; and (d) the Republic of Ireland, in place of a space in Northern Ireland due to lack of availability, since 2022.

Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs) are responsible for the planning and delivery of respite/Short Break services, aligned to assessed needs. Within both Children’s and Adult Services respite/ Short Breaks are provided within the person’s own home, through the provision of enhanced domiciliary care packages or within the homes of Foster Carers or Shared Lives Carers. Alternatively respite/ Short Breaks can be provided within statutory and independent sector care homes.

My Department is not aware of any Health and Social Care Trust referring an adult or child to Scotland, England, Wales or the Republic of Ireland for overnight respite care, due to lack of availability in Northern Ireland.

My Department is currently finalising the Children with Disability Framework and the Learning Disability Service Model for Northern Ireland. Both aim to respond to increased challenges faced by families of children and adults with disability and to support HSCTS in meeting rising demands and increased complexity of need. It is recognised that reform of how services are structured, delivered and resourced, both from a Regional perspective and locally in each of the HSCTs is required, including the provision of respite/Short Break Services.

On 17 October 2024, I approved the allocation of £2 million in year for children with disabilities, with a recurrent impact of £13.1 million. My Department has ensured this funding has been ringfenced to directly improve short breaks capacity, while rapidly expanding a range of family, therapeutic and behavioural supports.

In addition, my Department is leading on the reform of Adult Social Care through the Social Care Collaborative Forum. The Commissioning and Contracting workstream and the Maximising Capacity workstream will support best use of current respite/ Short Break provision and expansion of service provision within care home settings.