Sensory room and outdoor space unveiled at Ellis Court
A new sensory room and outdoor space at Ellis Court in Carrickfergus have been officially unveiled by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
The unit provides short break services for adults with learning disabilities, with the enhanced facilities helping to ensure they can enjoy the best possible care and respite experience.
Explaining more, Deputy Manager Kylie Scates said: “We currently have 140 service users, all with a wide range of needs and abilities.
“Until now we had no outside space for service users to avail of, and we are delighted with the changes that have been made.
“We’ve transformed vacant land at the back of our unit into a large, flat, tarmacked space where we can play games together, have BBQs, take part in exercise and movement, and just enjoy being outdoors without having to leave the site.
“It has greatly benefitted our service users because staff now have the space and scope to get a better understanding of their abilities, which has been amazing to see.”
The sensory room was created with support from Mencap NI, and provides a safe space for those with additional sensory needs.
“Not all of our service users want to take part in group activities, so the quiet, relaxing environment is hugely important to them and we’re very grateful to Mencap for their input,” said Kylie. “It’s a space designed specifically for them, where they can take some time out and enjoy their own activities.
“Feedback from our service users and their families has been really encouraging and it’s great for our staff to have these new spaces to use as well. We want our service users to get the very most out of their time at Ellis Court, and both the sensory room and outdoor space will ensure they enjoy the best possible time with us.”
20th June 2025
