Respite care

It's important that you have regular breaks from caring and time to yourself. You can ask Adult Services staff for advice and information about local respite services and whether they can arrange help for you, or you can approach other organisations to make your own arrangements. If you make your own arrangements, make sure that the people you talk to understand that you are looking for help that will allow you to have time to yourself, even if it is just for an hour or so.

Some local 'good neighbour' groups may be able to help in an emergency, but for longer or more regular help, you should try one of the following:

Day centres although not strictly respite care, by providing activities and company during the day for someone with physical and/or learning disabilities, may be considered as respite care by their carers.
Short stays in residential homes - Some homes take people for short periods as well as long-term. Some homes will have designated respite beds, others will only take people for short stays if there happens to be a bed available. You can use the Guide to Residential Care to find homes that can offer short stays.
The 'Adult Placement Scheme' offers day care in the homes of adult placement carers. The scheme is mainly for people with learning disabilities, but also offers help for older people. Contact the Adult Services Department for more information.
Sitting services provide someone comes to your home while you have time to yourself.
'Take a Break' schemes, run both by Adult Services and voluntary organisations, give carers a few hours to themselves. To find out what’s available locally, see the results list from the e-volve directorty or your local Crossroads Schemes.
Many residential homes offer informal day care, where someone can regularly spend a day with the residents. You can find details of homes near you that offer this service in the Adult Services Guide to Residential Care.
You can get live-in help for a short period to allow you to go away. See Organisations that can provide care at home for more information.
If the person you look after needs special care that would make an ordinary holiday difficult, there are specialist holiday organisations that can provide information and advice. See e.VOLve community groups directory or the Getting out and about pages from the Gu i d e t o C a r e a t H o m e

If you need to make use of any County Council services, including day centres and residential homes run by the County Council, you will need to contact the Adult Services Department to request an assessment of your needs.