Blog

The terminology that the NDIS use for respite care or respite services is a little different from how respite has previously been referred to. In the NDIS, respite care is called Short Term Accommodation and Assistance but essentially this is what we have previously known as respite. If it is considered by the NDIA as a reasonable and necessary support, it means that your child can assess respite care out of your home or in your home, depending on your child’s and your family’s needs.

The NDIA Short Term Accommodation and Assistance is “both a short stay in a property with other people or additional support in your own home.” If you have budget for this, it is funded under Core Supports – Assistance with Daily Life in your child’s NDIS plan.

If you don’t have Short Term Accommodation and Assistance funding included in your child’s plan, you can request it. Funding may be provided if it considered reasonable and necessary that your child take time out from the family home, for example, in a short term accommodation centre like Xavier Place in the Brisbane suburb of Yeerongpilly.

If you would like to request funding for Short Term Accommodation you can do so at your planning meeting or your plan review. Prepare the following information to support your request for the amount of respite that you are asking for:

• If respite care has been used in the last 12 months, record the number of nights that respite care has been used
• If your child hasn’t used respite care before, work out how many days you would like to request in the 12 month plan period and when you need those days/night. You will then be able to work out the funds required based on the NDIS Price Guide
• Clearly define the goals associated with the support required. This is true for any supports requested in the NDIS.

Further information

Click through for further info on Xavier Place, Short Term Accommodation and respite for children with complex disabilities or give our friendly team a call on 1800 XAVIER or email intake@xavier.org.au