IT takes a special sort of person who, having brought up a family of their own, then decides to welcome into their home a series of children with special needs.

Not to stay, but to visit for a short break. Enough time anyway to give the child’s own parents a break, a chance to draw breath and a chance to stop looking through the eyes in the back of their head.

Welcome to the world of Barnardo’s Worcestershire Short Breaks project and until recently the world of Carol Cook. Now a grandmother, Carol has decided to take her own break after 18 years of providing regular short holidays for disabled youngsters in her smart home in the suburbs of Malvern.

With Carol – and her colleague Anne Lingham stepping down – Barnardo’s is looking for people to step up to take their place. So what does this involve?

Carol said: “In the 18 years I was involved in the Short Breaks project we had about 10 different children here. Mostly they came on their own, but we had two boys who got on very well and so, sometimes they came together. We had lots of laughs with them.

“There were not many weekends over that time we didn’t have at least one child for a night. It’s really been rewarding and given me a tremendous amount of enjoyment. I didn’t look on it as a job, because I was doing something I love.”

This amazing commitment to help in a not particularly high profile area of the social care system – most people have heard of foster parents, but I’ll wager not many know of short break carers – began for Carol and her engineer husband David about 20 years ago when they noticed how difficult life had become for some friends who had a child with problems.

She said: “Special needs children take up so much of a parent’s time and attention. They inevitably become the focus of family life, sometimes to the detriment of their brothers and sisters. You can’t help it. You need eyes in the back of your head all the time because of what they might be doing. It’s very tiring for all concerned. By then I had brought up three children of my own and felt I had the parenting skills, the experience and the time to be able to offer my help.”

It was something she has never regretted. Her immaculate home is still immaculate after all those years and it is hard to imagine youngsters have been regular visitors there for a long time.

Carol said: “Mostly they stayed for one night a week. The school bus would drop them off at about 3.30 in the afternoon and then collect them at 8.30 the next morning. They would be aged anything from four to 18. Usually they would be boys, although we did have two girls.

“How did we spend the time? Well, one boy loved food, so we would go through all the cook books and choose what he would have to eat on his next visit. He never forgot either. Another boy liked to play Monopoly and then there were others who liked to go for walks on the hills or the common. We were never short of things to do. There was no set pattern because every child wanted to do something different. It was a chance for them to get out of their home environment and a chance for their parents to have a mental rest, at least, from looking after them.”

In case you are thinking “I could do that” but have reservations, you should know that Barnardo’s provides background support for the short break carers.

It’s all a gradual process. Before anyone goes anywhere, there are meetings and assessments, working out who is right for whom.

“The project knows what you can and can’t manage,” added Carol.

“There is always an ongoing system of support and training from Barnardo’s experts.”

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A SHORT BREAKS CARER?

THE FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Jacqui Bazley, Barnardo’s manager at Worcestershire Short Breaks, said: “The service is a real lifeline for parents and the children, who get enormous enjoyment from spending time with their carers.”

At a time when child care is in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, it’s reassuring to know there is a sunny side of the street.

Short break carers can come from all walks of life, single or in a relationship, with or without children, working or not. The most important quality is they have a genuine desire to see children thrive and enjoy themselves.

If you are interested in becoming a paid carer with Barnardo’s Short Breaks. Call 01905 778275.