Share the care

To work out what services would help, we have to carry out an assessment called a Section 23 Assessment.

For more information about Section 23 Assessments, please see our Assessing the needs of children with disabilities page in our Children with Disabilities.

Respite Support Panel

The Share the Care service is available for children with severe, complex and enduring needs, and you can only access Share the Care if the Respite Support Panel agrees.

For more information about the Respite Support Panel, please see our 'What resources are available in East Lothian?' in our Children with Disabilities. (NEEDs LINKED)

What you can do if you can't have this service

If your child does not have the complex level of disability that would qualify them for Share the Care, the worker who has carried out the assessment will talk to you about other kinds of support and resources that might be available (e.g. advice and advocacy from other agencies). They will also recommend the resources that would best meet your child's needs.

However, there are very limited resources available. This means that there is often a waiting list for them.