Carers’ Break Service is registered with the Commission for Social Care Inspection to provides domiciliary care to dependent people living at home who may have varying health and social care conditions ranging from Multiple Sclerosis to dementia.  Our care staff provide personal care, support and supervision whilst ensuring dignity and choice at all times.  Maximum independence is promoted by the service within the parameters of the care plan and risk assessment.  Our staff are trained to a minimum level of NVQ2 in Health and Social Care and hold a current, valid Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check..

History of the Carers' Break Service.

In 1986, three year government funding was secured by a voluntary organisation for a night sitting service in the Kerrier District in Cornwall. The service provided care for dependent people living at home to enable their carers to have a good night’s sleep. At the end of the funding period ongoing funding had not been secured but another voluntary organisation, Council for Community Services (Kerrier) agreed to provide a small amount of funding for administration to enable the Co-ordinator (who had agreed to work on a volunteer basis) to continue to run the service and apply for funding. From 1990 to 1992 funding was secured from various bodies, which included the Duchy Health Charity, the Alzheimers Society and the Mental Health Unit of the Health Authority, which enabled the service to continue in Kerrier and to expand into the Penwith District. The service had also been extended to provide care during the day due to demand.

With the introduction in 1993 of the Community Care Act 1990, an application was made to Cornwall Social Services to provide funding for the project since in the Act carers were recognised as a valuable part of the provision of care to dependent people. Funding was agreed if the service was developed to cover the whole of Cornwall. The trustees agreed to this request and in September 1993 the first two part time Area Co-ordinators were appointed to develop the service in the Carrick and Restormel Districts. In February 1994 two more Area Co-ordinators were appointed for the North Cornwall and Caradon Districts and in June 1994 the countywide service was launched. Since the charity was now providing a countywide service it was agreed that the name of the charity should be changed to Cornwall Community Volunteer Services.

From 1994 to the present time the service has developed and adjusted to changing needs, legislation etc and has taken referrals from the statutory and voluntary sectors and private individuals. By 1999 over 80,000 hours of care were being delivered annually to provide respite for carers. In 2001, due to local policy, the grant from Cornwall Social Services was withdrawn and services were commissioned on a “spot purchasing” basis. The volume of core work has reduced since that time but in 2004 a contract was agreed with Cornwall Social Services to rota four members of staff every night to provide a night care resource to the Rapid Assessment Teams (RATs) who work as a multi disciplinary team preventing hospital admission or enabling an earlier hospital discharge with a “round the clock” package of care until the service user has improved. This has involved training and supporting dedicated staff to provide a high level of care and a close working partnership with the statutory agencies commissioning the service.

In 2003 government legislation required all domiciliary care providers to register with the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). Carers’ Break Service has two registered offices in Camborne and Bodmin. Each office has a Registered Manager who works with CSCI to ensure that they maintain a quality service to service users throughout Cornwall.