Families who need a break from the stress of caring for disabled children are taking part in a trial service to help them in Mid Sussex.

If the "sitter service" proves successful it may be extended to other areas of West Sussex.

Trained volunteers look after the children so that their tired relatives can get a precious few hours to themselves.

The service in the Haywards Heath- Burgess Hill-Crawley area is aimed at those families not receiving any respite care.

It is run by West Sussex Council and West Sussex Health Authority.

At present volunteers are being recruited for the service to start in the New Year.

So far nine volunteers have come forward, and training is being arranged after Christmas for evening sessions at Penn Crescent family centre in Haywards Heath.

Mid Sussex Sitting Service co-ordinator Caroline Scott-Gall said: "The number of families we are able to help will of course be dictated by the number of volunteers we get.

"There is certainly no shortage of families.

"We are recruiting sitters who will be matched up carefully with families.

"The idea is that each family has a regular sitter so they get to know them well.

"One idea of the project is so that the other members of the family can go out for a few hours.

"But quite a lot of parents have said that they also want to be able to devote more time to other children in the family. There is no doubt that children can msis out on things."

Anyone wishing to volunteer for the service will be subject to police checks to protect the children.

They will be do about four hours a fortnight and be paid out of pocket expenses.

The training will include first aid, communication, handling, health and safety, and child protection.

The volunteers will also be offered extra training if needed to help deal with specific cases.