Young people's charities in Fareham and Gosport given cash for breaks

Kids has been given a cash grant so young carers can have breaks

The money is part of a £2m grant project that has been approved by the council.

The main beneficiary of the Gosport and Fareham money is the charity Kids, which will receive more than £200,000 from the council.

Kids’ Fareham and Gosport Young Carers initiatives offer support to young people aged eight to 18 years old who have significant caring responsibilities for a close family member who has a short-term or long term disability.

It aims to allow them to take time for themselves, socialise and cope with the demands placed on them as carers.

Other charities that will benefit from the money are Fluid Motion Theatre Company, Let Us Play, Sensecere, The Rose Road Association and Enable Ability.

Councillor Keith Mans, deputy leader and executive lead member for children’s services said after agreeing the funding: ‘I fully understand how essential it is for carers of children who have a disability to be able to take a regular break from their caring responsibilities.

‘It gives them some time for themselves and, to an extent, a chance to recharge their batteries.

‘This enables them to cope better with the additional pressures that being a parent or carer of a child with a disability can bring.

‘The funding I have agreed will enable a variety of short breaks to be available across Hampshire, offering children and young people, and their carers, a good range of choice.’

The activities that are funded with this money will form part of the county council’s short breaks provision for children with disabilities.

The programme currently helps to support up to 7,000 young people to go on short breaks.

The funding includes educational breaks for disabled children outside their homes, daytime care of disabled children and services to assist carers in the evenings at weekends and during the school holidays.

The council decision also included funding worth £285,000 to support the Parent Voice Information and Participation Service and Hampshire Parent Carer Network.