Home Sharing in Ireland is a person-centred respite service where trained, assessed, and vetted families offer short breaks or full-time support in their homes to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This model promotes inclusion, independence, and community living in safe, nurturing environments. Host families are carefully matched and supported by disability organisations such as Ability West, a leading provider in Galway, which has offered Home Sharing since 1985, beginning as a pilot holiday scheme.

The service now includes:

• Home Sharing Short Breaks – One or two respite nights per month.
• Home Sharing Contract Families – Increased respite for individuals with complex needs.
• Home Sharing Shared Living – Full-time placements fostering long-term relationships.

Home Sharing Services supports families, reduces reliance on traditional forms of respite, and enables individuals to live ordinary lives in ordinary places.

Visit https://www.abilitywest.ie/homesharing-services for further information.  You can also view the Health Service Executive expert working group report on Home Sharing published in 2016:  https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/disability/reportonhomesharing.pdf