Summary
Our Nature Therapy Breaks provided parents and carers of children with disabilities and additional support needs a respite break in the Treehouse Residential Centre within Dean Castle Country Park. We provided activities that reconnected them with the outdoors - Animal feeding, walking, playpark, butterfly experience, visiting the Walled Garden, free time in the sensory room and movies in the Auditorium.
What Nature Therapy Breaks did
The breaks took place for four weeks in July and over a weekend in February at the Treehouse Residential centre based in Dean Castle Country Park. Working in partnership with East Ayrshire Councils Health and Social Care team East Ayrshire Leisure were able to provide respite breaks for families with over 200 people involved. Due to the demand for the project we spilt the breaks into two nights rather than four to accommodate shorter durations requested by the families, as they were a bit apprehensive and to suit the family groupings who were looking to attend.
Animal feeding, butterfly experience, visiting the castle, self-led nature trails, free time in the play park, pond dipping, bush craft and den building, mindfulness activities, visiting the Walled Garden, free time in the sensory room and movies in the Auditorium. The activities were tailor made to suit the ages and the abilities of the group each time to allow maximum participation and enjoyment.
An Open evening – we invited the families to view the facilities prior to their stay to allow them to become familiar with the facility, meet the staff, ask any questions and be more aware of what they would need to bring along for their trip. This worked really well and reassured the families and carers of what to expect.
End of Summer project feedback event at Dean Castle – this was well received with 75% of attendees embracing the chance to return to the Country Park and reconnect friendships they had made on the breaks.
What East Ayrshire Leisure Trust has learned
The Nature Therapy Breaks help so many people and we can and have tailored and changed how we deliver to help different users.
How East Ayrshire Leisure Trust has benefitted from the funding
We have seen how or organisation can help and give opportunities to a wide range of users and our staff is also reaping these benefits as the communication and feedback is and has been tremendous.
Project Outcomes
Outcome
Disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under) will have more opportunities to have fun, develop friendships and do activities they enjoy
Results
Over 60 Disabled children and Young people enjoyed the break with families in similar circumstances that helped everyone involved make new friends (parents Included) and undertake activities that were organised with the groups needs in mind. Discussions were had with the group’s before-hand to get the best suited activity at the best time in the stay.
Case study
One of the families with complex needs had never been on a family holiday before and this break gave the opportunity for respite but also for the young people to meet others with the same needs one child said” I made friends I can relate to”. The family group and another from the stay have organised to go on holiday together.
Outcome
Carers of disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under) will have more opportunities to enjoy a life outside of their caring role
Results
The families involved in the Nature Therapy Breaks have had an opportunity at times for a break, whether that is taking part in a different activity from their cared children or young people or the chance to be in the same area as people who also care.
Case study
Some of the families are now in constant contact with each other and have said the Nature Therapy breaks have been the catalyst for their new friendships.
One Mum said” Yes. I felt really relaxed for the first time in a long while’ ‘Being around other mums and able to talk with them has been great for me’
Outcome
Carers of disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under) will feel better supported to sustain their caring role
Results
New opportunities for the groups involved included better access to other services and information from East Ayrshire Leisure, East Ayrshire Councils Health and Social Care partnership and of course the chance to actively meet up with people with the same issues.
Case study
One of the Nature Therapy groups had 3 dads staying with a situation out of the norm. The dads have now started their own support group and without the break might never have met.
Outcome
Disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under) and their carers will have improved wellbeing
Results
The improvement in wellbeing from the groups involved was immense with the groups all being immersed in activities in Nature.
Case study
One family group expressed their delight I and said “We all had an amazing time and I came back feeling refreshed and good about myself”