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For the last 70 years Xavier has been supporting children living with disabilities and their families helping them live their best possible lives.

One of the ways that we support Brisbane children and families is through respite care, allowing breaks away from their home for children living with disability so they can experience new activities. Respite care also provides their family and regular carers with a rest from their usual responsibilities, giving them a chance to unwind and recharge. Through Xavier Place, our specialty respite care centre in Yeerongpilly, we’re able to make life easier for families of children with complex disability all over Brisbane.

Respite care activities can include:

• Exploring new social and community driven group activities
• Short stays out of home to pursue new activities lasting up to two weeks
• A little time off and some extra support for your child’s usual care team

Helping you access respite care through NDIS funding

Respite care can be funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) if it is deemed reasonable or necessary to help your child to meet their goals. Reasonable refers to things which every person should be given fair access to, and necessary refers to those things which are needed to manage your child’s disability.

There are a lot of ins and outs to the NDIS, regardless of whether it is your first time accessing it or if you’re simply after changes to your existing funding to utilise respite care. In conjunction with our sister organisation InFocus, Xavier has been helping the families of children living with disabilities navigate the NDIS since its inception, and with this expertise we can help you through the process of efficiently requesting funding for the following aspects of respite care:

• Short stay accommodation out of home for either your child or their carer, allowing them to explore new activities throughout Brisbane
• Time off for your child’s regular carer, allowing them to take a break from their caring responsibilities
• A food allocation allowance during their time in respite care
• Funding for individuals or groups depending on the needs of your child

How long can respite care last?

The NDIS provides funding for short- or medium-term respite care in Brisbane, from stays as short as only a few hours to up to two weeks away. Anything longer is not considered to be respite care under the NDIS as its purpose is to provide a break or an opportunity to explore new things. Its purpose is not to take an entire holiday as this is not considered reasonable or necessary for managing a disability.

Introducing Xavier Place

Xavier Place is Xavier’s very own respite care centre located in Yeerongpilly in Brisbane and built specifically for this exact purpose. Xavier Place provides children and young people living with disability with accommodation and support relating to their needs while they are in respite care.

Xavier Place is staffed by a team of Support Workers who have been trained by Registered Nurses and therapists, ensuring the best possible care will be delivered during your child’s time there. The support provided at Xavier Place includes:

• A great range of fun indoor and outdoor activities appropriate for all ages
• Sensory and relaxation rooms for behavioural and emotion regulation
• An on-call nurse for assistance around the clock
• A hi-lo bed and ceiling hoist in each bedroom
• State-of-the-art security for peace of mind

Find out more

The Xavier team is here to support you and your child through respite care. Simply call 1800 XAVIER or email intake@xavier.org.au for further information on respite care or to see if Xavier Place might be right for your child.