When does it run?
Our Breakaways services take place as follows:

• Two Friday evenings per month: 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm
• Two Saturdays per month: 11.00 am to 4.00pm.

During 2025, we are also planning to start a new Breakaways service on Wednesday evenings. If you would be interested in this, please contact us.We also provide one weekend away per month. There is a separate information sheet to cover this.

 

Where does it take place?
The service meets at our premises at 8 Stanley Park Road, Wallington SM6 0EU. Activities take place at ourpremises and at other venues, including a wide range of community activities.

Who is the service for?
The service is for adults with a learning disability aged 18 or over who live with family members. The service aims to provide both an enjoyable time for the people who attend and a break from caring responsibilities for family members. The service is available for people with a range of support needs including personal care. People who attend the service are normally residents of the London Borough of Sutton.

How is the service organised?
The service is group-based. The size of each group depends on the range of needs of the people being support, but typically each group would have around 10-12 members.

Who provides the service?
Each group has a service co-ordinator and a team of staff who will support you throughout the day. All our staff are experienced in working with people with a learning disability and have taken part in our extensive training programme.

How can I join the service?
People will need to have a confirmed place on the service before attending. People can self-refer or be referred by their local authority. You will need to have a package of care in place which will fund your place on the service. This typically will be in the form of a Direct Payment or an arrangement where your local authority purchases the service from us on your behalf.

Is there a waiting list?
The service is very popular and we therefore usually operate a waiting list. For up to date information on how long you are likely to wait before accessing the service, contact our Adult Services Manager, Tammy Satchell on 020 8138 8956 or e-mail tammy@suttonmencap.org.uk

Can I choose when I attend?
Yes. We will send out a list of dates and activities and you will be able to indicate  which you would like to attend. We will then allocate places fairly across all the groups. This means you may not get all the days and activities that you wish to attend, although we can add you to a reserve list in case a place comes available.

What happens on the service?
We provide a wide range of activities, both at our premises and in the wider community. The actual activities are organised around the choices of the people whoattend. In house activities can include arts and crafts, cooking, dance, karaoke,sports and games and use of facilities in our garden and lounges. You might also be interested in taking part in our digital projects which can help people produce films and podcasts and make music. Trips out could include visits to sports facilities, cinema, parks, seaside, or pub lunches.With new Breakaways members, we like to start with in house activities so we can get to know you. We will then move onto the other activities. Can I choose the activities I will do?Services are planned with the involvement of group members, so we will try and plan activities that will suit all the people who attend. We will often have different activities taking place at the same time to allow people to choose different things.

Is transport available to attend the service?
We are unable to provide transport to or from the service. We do have a minibus for use during the service. We also try to make use of public transport where the needs of service users allow this.

 

How much does it cost?
The price for the service will depend on the level of support required as follows:

• Low support needs: Friday night £41.76, Saturday £69.60 (£13.92 per hour).
• Medium support needs: Friday night £54.60, Saturday £91.00 (£18.20 per hour).
• High support needs: Friday night £86.16, Saturday £143.60 (£28.72 per hour).
• These prices are correct up to 31st March 2026.

 

Prices include most activities and a meal, although we may occasionally need people to bring extra cash, e.g. for entry fees. Regardless of whether you are able to attend, you will be charged for all sessions that you book unless we can find someone else to fill your place.What needs to happen before I can start?We need to have the following in place before you can start on the service:

• We need to have a place available for you.
• You will need to complete a client information form.
• We will need to meet with you to identify how best to support you.
• We need to have confirmation that funding is in place. This is likely to involve 
  social services.

You will need to sign our terms and conditions.

How can I find out more?
Contact Tammy Satchell, Adult Services Manager on 020 8138 8956 or e-mail tammy@suttonmencap.org.u