Dumbarton's MSP Jackie Baillie has welcomed a new resource, aimed at helping carers find vital information on short breaks.

The Shared Care Scotland’s Short Breaks Directory provides a wealth of information on accessing breaks from the strain of caring.

According to data, 800,000 unpaid carers in Scotland go without a holiday or respite.

While unpaid carers are thought to provide care to the value of £36 billion to the Scottish economy, data suggests that as many as 35 per cent have not been able to take a break in the past year.

MSP Baillie, Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, said: "With increasing demands on public service budgets, as well as a stark rise in those living longer with chronic health conditions, unpaid and family carers provide a valuable service to both loved ones and the economy and save the state a sizeable sum.

"It is important that these unsung heroes also look after their own health so they can better care for others and the value of a short break to those in caring roles cannot be underestimated.

"I welcome any resource which assists carers in securing the breaks that they so desperately need and deserve."

The directory is a platform connecting people with a wide range of short break providers across the country.

It serves as a hub for information on different short break options available in Scotland, catering to different needs and preferences.

It includes entries for many types of providers such as holiday accommodation, day services, and activity groups.

Users can find the most suitable respite options through a responsive search function.

Options can be filtered by age, care needs, location, and type of break. All information in the directory is verified.

A series of quality checks are undertaken regularly to verify every entry, including contact details and price information.

For more on the Short Breaks Directory and its offerings, visit Shared Care Scotland’s website at www.sharedcarescotland.org.uk.