Respite Care

The majority of students who attend the david lewis College do so for 38 weeks of the year. However, there are some who also benefit from respite care and residential provision during the our College holidays.The amount of respite care is variable according to the needs of the individual student and therefore may range from a few days to a full 52-week placement, with issues such as physical, educational, psychological or social need being considered, as well as the individual student’s preference.

An individualised timetable of activities and events is established for each student who has opted for respite care, which is incorporated within the student’s personal file. These events include trips out to places of interest and fun, as well as numerous activities within the unit and on site.

The student who stays within the service for periods of respite care also benefits from the full range of multi-disciplinary services available at david lewis, including the availability of emergency 24 hour medical and trained nurse cover, clinical facilities such as the provision of an on-site GP, the use of the EEG and clinical departments, specialist nurse intervention if required.

 
Staff deployed within the residential service during periods of respite care are the service’s usual staff and are, therefore, familiar to the individual students. Staffing ratios are dependent on the needs of individual students and funding available.