Care scheme for youngsters issues plea for volunteers

Durham and Darlington Shared Care helps youngsters with physical and learning disabilities or serious illnesses.

Its team of foster carers provides temporary care, giving parents a much-needed break, and it has a befriending scheme that helps youngsters make friends outside the family.

The call for its services is growing, and it needs more people to volunteer their services to meet the demand.

The scheme began in 1986 and is jointly funded by Durham Social Services and children's charity Barnardo's.

It covers Darlington, Durham, Derwentside, east Durham and Chester-le-Street.

Barnardo's spokeswoman Angela Robinson said: "We have 108 children on our register and 84 approved carers. Five more are going through assessment and 13 others are going through the induction process.

"At the moment, there is a waiting list of 20 children who need carers. If we can get more volunteers, hopefully, we can get carers for them all.''

Shared Care social worker Ramla Handa said the scheme provided sitters, who look after children in their own home, and foster parents, who take youngsters in for short breaks.

"The whole idea is to allow the child and their family to have a break and for the child to experience something different," she said.

"It also gives the parents a chance to spend time with their other children.

"Befrienders will take a young person to wherever they want to go. It might be swimming, or a bowling alley, but wherever it is, it lets that young person have the choice, make their own decisions and become as independent as they can be.

"It might also give that child a chance to do something they have never experienced before.''

Carers, who are paid a small allowance, are from all walks of life, and are given training.

The charity particularly needs male carers and befrienders, and volunteers from the ethnic minorities.

Anyone wanting information about becoming a volunteer should ring 0191-378 4800.