We uphold a vision to support people within their families, to access the support they need, when they need it.
We recognise it can be difficult for families living with autism and they can face considerable stress. The family member with autism may need constant supervision to remain safe, support with personal care and self-care skills, be resistant to change within the home and when accessing the wider community or impact on the family well-being. We strive to deliver flexible and responsive services which places the service user at the heart of everything we do.

The short break service is designed to give carers the necessary break from the caring responsibility, providing them with the time to spend with other family members and do the things they may not be able to do when caring for a person who is on the autism spectrum. It also provides the person with autism the opportunity to take part in a range of different activities, develop independence and develop relationships outside of the family unit. Our aim is to provide short breaks which offer the following positive characteristics:

• To keep families together until the individual with autism chooses to live independently
• Flexible and responsive to the whole family’s needs
• Ensuring continuity of care, allowing good relationships to be built with staff
• Family-centred, developed with input from the families using the services
• Offering stimulating and educational activities so that the individual will benefit as much from the break as the rest of the family
• To enhance a family's ability to meet the many needs of their family member with autism
• To allow the family to participate in integrated leisure, recreational, and social activities
• To make a positive difference in the life of the person with autism as well as the lives of all family members

We are able to offer residential short breaks at New Warlands Farm which is set within 77 acres of secluded farmland and countryside within County Durham. Our accommodation has been designed with autism in mind so that service users can have their every need catered for. We have spacious and flexible accommodation that can meet the diverse needs of adults with autism, learning difficulties and or disabilities. The short breaks provision has been divided into two spacious lodges which provide a comfortable and safe short break experience.

There is the option of choosing one lodge with three bedrooms or another lodge with four bedrooms and one has been designed to meet the needs of individuals with physical disabilities. New Warlands Farm lodges both have large bathrooms and a spacious kitchen and lounge area. Both lodges are fully furnished to a high standard and contain everything expected to ensure each service user has a relaxing break. Both overlook secluded woodland within therapeutic farmland which provides a calming and peaceful environment particularly for people who have complex sensory needs.

The continuity of the staff team is important and we aim to provide a ‘wraparound support’ with a staff team who support the individual when they attend weekly support or holiday sessions being the same staff who support them during their short break holidays.

Short break carers meet the social needs of the individual, the service we provide is outcome focused to provide individuals with a personalised service which supports individuals to achieve their aspirations and goals. The person using our service is placed at the centre of the outcome-based process by telling us how and when they want their short break service delivered. As a provider we will work with service users to provide them with flexible and creative support.

As well as focusing on specific goals the service is designed to enrich service user’s lives by widening experiences, developing relationships within their community and overcoming potential barriers to community based activities. Leisure activities which people enjoy and find stimulating are vital for an individual’s physical and emotional well-being. We support individual’s to make choices through providing information in their preferred format regarding the activities that they enjoy and want to participate in. The support provided is holistic and not focused solely on the activity involved.

For further information please contact:
Peter Mountain on 0191 410 9974 or email