Lindsay House is a well-established facility that provides short break respite care for children aged 5 – 18 years of age at the centre of the Dunmurry community.
The staff at Lindsay House work hard to develop strong and lasting relationships with children and their families and aim to provide person centred care, as close to the child’s home routine as possible.
The staff recently held a coffee morning to mark 30 years of Lindsay House, they invited all staff and volunteers, past and present to attend. The turnout was fantastic, with many old faces popping by to say hello and enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat, which added to the celebratory atmosphere. Head of Service, Cared for Children, Lorraine Noade, addressed the crowd and took time to thank the staff and volunteers for all they have done over the years and the things they continue to do for the children and families they care for, she said, “Lindsay House is a wonderful facility run by very dedicated staff, many of whom have been there for a lot of its 30 year history. They are a staff team who clearly go the extra mile to support our children with disabilities and their families.
“They work hard to create a friendly, homely and welcoming environment and always strive to ensure the children have a positive experience and that parents feel reassured in the care their child is getting. As the Head of Service I feel very proud of what they do, how they have adapted throughout the pandemic and I look forward to many more years with Lindsay House”.
Lorraine was delighted to present the longest serving members of staff, Barry Davey, Julie Richards and Holly Jones along with Cooks, Eleanor Cusack and Maria McConnell and newest member of the team Thomas Morrison with small gifts of appreciation.
Feedback from families over the years has been very positive and many of the staff still have contact with families they have cared for many years later.
Pat’s son Ciaran was a regular visitor to Lindsay House during his childhood. Pat is extremely grateful for the care that the staff gave her son and the compassion they showed to her family, she added, “Lindsay House was a home from home for Ciaran, the standard of care was always excellent and the staff were so dedicated and caring towards all of us.
“Lindsay House was a lifeline for our family when Ciaran was younger.”
The Lindsay House staff had a profound impact on Pat’s daughter Paula who witnessed how they cared for not just her brother but also the family as a whole. She was inspired to apply to join the team and has been a serving staff member for 23 years. Paula explained, “Lindsay House was a very special place for my family, it provided respite for my older brother Ciaran and I grew up knowing about the amazing work they did with so many families. I felt very strongly that it was a place that I would one day love to work.
“I am delighted to say that I have been part of the Lindsay House team for 23 years now and I feel very privileged to work with such a superb team. I am now able to provide other families with the same type of care and dedication that my own family experienced through Ciaran’s care.