Respite care is available to support primary carers manage the demands and challenges of their role, whilst also providing children with access to a wider support network. This type of care can be planned and occur regularly for agreed periods of time (e.g. two nights per fortnight) or may be required in emergency situations. Respite care with another carer other than the child’s primary carer is different to making arrangements for a child to have a sleepover at a friend’s house or to occasionally using a babysitter.

Respite care placements can:

  • provide you with a break from child care responsibilities
  • provide children with an opportunity to experience different care environments
  • support placements, especially where children have special and high needs
  • give siblings who are placed separately an opportunity to have time together.

You must arrange respite care in collaboration with your DCP case worker, the child or young person in your care and your support worker. All approved respite is recorded in your child’s case plan.

Talk to your support worker and your child’s DCP case worker about how respite care may benefit you in your primary carer role.

From January 2024, eligible carers will also receive a quarterly flexible respite support payment, to help pay for services providing a respite-like effect.

More information is available here: Flexible Respite Frequently Asked Questions

This follows consultation on how respite-like options could be more accessible for carers. It was completed in 2023, and you can read the consultation report here: Flexible Respite Consultation Feedback