Take a Break Scotland allowed us to have family time and make memories

Emma lives in Central Scotland with her husband, Steven, and children, Tessa, 17, Lukas, 13, and Kieran, 12. Kieran was born early at 27 weeks gestation. He has been diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy which affects his arms and legs. Kieran can’t walk so he uses a wheelchair. However, he can army crawl well. On top of this, Kieran has a severe learning disability and he’s on the pathway for an autism diagnosis.

Emma explains, “Each day we follow a strict routine. If that routine changes, as happens in life, it can be extremely difficult for Kieran to accept. For example, if his school bus doesn’t come at the right time then it can set Kieran off for the day. He’s very my way or no way which can be a strain on the family. Our lives as parent carers revolve around Kieran’s complex care needs. Steven and I work full-time but we try to work our shifts around each other so that one of us can always be there for Kieran.

“Tessa and Lukas have been classed as young carers from the age of eight. They’ve had to grow up and become responsible quicker than they maybe ought to have been or like their peers. It’s also meant that they’ve had to miss out on things growing up or even now if Kieran is having a bad day.”

Take a Break Scotland grants

Emma says, “Over the last few years, we’ve received funding for days out and breaks away. One year we used the funding as part of a deposit for a family holiday to Florida which was one of our first family holidays together. It was quite nerve-racking, but we managed it. It was an absolutely fantastic holiday. A dream come true.

We’ve also used the Take a Break funding for day trips to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Kieran loves going on the train and visiting museums, cinemas, and restaurants. The funding allowed us to have family time and make memories. It was nice to have set money that was there for us and not just your usual bills.”