Mia’s mum wanted to go away with friends for a few nights. Mia is non-verbal and requires special support, and her mum needed to make sure that Mia could be settled before making plans.
Mia is an only child and has a special relationship with her mum, and has difficulty feeling confident around others.
Whitegates Respite Service is not local to Mia’s home, but as her mum tells it: “When friends ask me why I travel so far to drop Mia off at Whitegates, I simply say ‘wouldn’t you if your only child’s happy place is there?’”
Whitegates Respite Service offers autism-focused specialist support to adults like Mia, when carers require a break from their caring role for days or weeks at a time. The service opened in 2022, only a short distance away from Worksop town centre, run by Autism East Midlands.
With six self-contained apartments provided as part of the service, users can build their independence and take part in activities both in-service and outside in the community, with support staff on-hand to provide care and needed support.
Mia’s mum describes how the staff at Whitegates are like an extended family for Mia, and how she is ‘literally pushed out the door’ when they arrive at the service.
“It’s a gesture that every parent of a non-verbal child prays for and honestly if anything happened to me, Whitegates would be the only place my daughter would settle. Thank you, Autism East Midlands, for giving Mia a voice.”
Whitegates can be contacted directly on 01909 776932 or you can contact Autism East Midlands at enquiries@aem.org.uk or on 01909 506678.