Geeza Break’s main task is to achieve improved health and well-being of individuals, families and their children. In order to achieve this, as a voluntary organisation, we provide family support and flexible respite services to parents with children aged 0-16 years, predominantly within the East/North East in Glasgow (services are provided to kinship carers who are caring for children due to addiction issues across Glasgow).

The service is intended to be a short term flexible support to families experiencing addiction, stress, crisis or isolation. These services set out to achieve a set of aims for both the family and children.

Family Support

Family Support is offered to parents living within the North End of Glasgow and who have a child/children under the age of sixteen years. In partnership with Geeza Break, Family Support aims to assist with preventing/reducing statutory involvement by working with clients to develop skills such as parenting skills, day to day living skills and confidence.

Respite Sitting

Respite Sitting provides positive, fun experiences empowering children to lead healthier lives as well as developing their educational and cultural interests. For example, local parks and museums. Respite Sitting also means that the children develop social interaction and communication skills.

Respite Sitting can either be outdoor (in the local community) or in the family home, depending on what the family want.

Respite Care

Children are cared for at the respite carers homes sometimes for a few hours but mostly overnight. This service allows children to share in a positive family experience. Respite is provided on a planned basis but there are occasions when emergency respite is requested by social work. Parents are expected to take their children to respite and collect them again but where possible carers will collect the children and take them home.

TOFFEE (Time Out for Families East End)

We provide structured play opportunities for children as well as a break for the family members. We also provide an Out of School Care Service which is run from a variety of different facilitators throughout the city. Times vary depending on which out of school care facility is being used. Children are cared for within existing local resources during normal office hours through the Toffee Club. Primary school children aged 5 -12 year olds are cared for during the 2 week Easter Holiday period, the Summer School Holiday period and 1 week during the October Holiday period. The service is delivered in partnership with other registered childcare providers, who are knowledgeable about the area.

Sessions are allocated on a daily basis (Monday-Friday from 10am to 3pm during school holidays). Children are expected to bring a healthy packed lunch. Families are advised in advance of their allocated days, non-attendance can affect your allocation.

Geeza Chance

This service is for children (between the ages of 8 and 14) in kinship care due to addiction issues and available evenings (4-8pm), weekends if necessary, and during school holidays. This programme will normally be for a 11 week period.

The young people will also be invited to be involved in group workshops during the 11 weeks covering topics such as:

  • Cooking, First aid,dealing with mixed emotions, Personal hygiene and sexual health, Drug and alcohol awareness
  • There are also 3 activities during the 11 weeks to places that the young people choose e.g. flipout, tubing, swimming, etc.

There is also an option to spend overnight residential at Wiston Lodge near Lanark:

  • Team building
  • Drumming
  • Canoeing
  • Archery
  • Orienteering
  • Climbing wall

The Young Person’s Support Worker will befriend kinship children aged 8-14 years, providing informal one-to-one support, if necessary, and group work. The young people will make new friends and feel less isolated.

The young person will be supported to achieve positive outcomes that will contribute to their social skills, confidence and health and wellbeing.

Find out more: https://www.geezabreak.org.uk/