Respite Options

Local Councils

Your first port of call for assistance with Respite Care is via your local council. If you don't know their contact details, you can go to Victoria Online at www.vic.gov.au/government-economy/local-councils.html to find your local council.  

Carers Victoria

Carers Victoria is the statewide voice for family carers, representing and providing support to carers in Victoria. They are a free service for carers.  Visit them at www.carersvic.org.au  Their Respite Connections page is especially helpful.

Respite Victoria

"Respite and carer support services are provided throughout Victoria by a range of different organisations. It can be difficult to know where to start when you first consider accessing respite, need support as a carer or even when you move to a new area.

Respite Victoria links you to the 8 regional disability respite websites in Victoria. Each regional website links you to the Respite Service Search (local and statewide), and has specific local information, news and events.

Respite Victoria has been established as part of the Victorian Department of Human Service's initiatives to improve access to information about respite for carers and people with a disability in Victoria."

Go to www.respitevictoria.org.au for more.

Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre

Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres are information centres for older people, people with disabilities and those who provide care and services. Centres provide free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available locally, interstate or anywhere within Australia.

The network of 54 Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres has around 65 'walk-in' shopfronts throughout Australia. Many shopfronts are conveniently located near, or within, shopping centres.

You can contact your nearest Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre by phoning a national telephone number Freecall™ 1800 052 222. View their website for more information.

Autism Plus

"Autism Plus' mission is to provide support services to the Autism and Disability community in Australia.

Autism Plus is a support service that is unique in providing qualified staff with specialised skills and knowledge within the autism and disability sector. Autism Plus provides support to people with a disability in order to maximise the individual's opportunities to participate, enjoy and learn in their community.

Autism Plus provides a number of services including:

• Individual Support
• Group Support
• Respite
• Accommodation
• Family Support - Care Exchange
• Training and Consultation

For more information please Ph 1300 4 AUTISM (1300 428 847) or Ph.(03) 9982 9722.  More details can be found on their website at http://www.autismplus.com.au/

Anglicare

"Anglicare Victoria provides support to 50,000 children, young people and families every year. Through a range of diverse programs and services, we work towards strengthening families and communities so they can protect and nurture the children within them. We do this directly through services like foster care, emergency food and crisis accommodation, as well as indirectly through family and community support services such as financial counselling, parent education and group work. Combined, our range of services alleviates immediate hardship while building skills and resilience to overcome future hurdles."

Contact Anglicare's head office on 1800 809 722 or view their website at www.anglicarevic.org.au

Annecto

Annecto is a community inclusion not-for-profit organisation.  Operating from a social inclusion and human rights perspective, annecto has a strong commitment to assisting people with dementia, intellectual disability and acquired brain injury, older people and their families and carers to engage and participate in the community with the aim to live better lives in a home of their choice.   They have 7 offices across Victoria.  Go to www.annecto.org.au or phone their head office on (03) 9687 7066

Carer Solutions Australia

"Dedicated to delivering a people-centred approach to those with a disability, compensible injury or illness, ensuring they have access to fundamental care arragnements, and to secure them the best quality of life possible."

Contact 03 9718 2082 or visit www.carersolutions.com.au

CareChoice

"CareChoice is a specialist care provider and recruitment agency supplying experienced and professional temporary and permanent staff to the aged and disability sectors. Our CareChoice team are passionate about the work in which they are engaged, and pride themselves inproviding an exceptional calibre of service to the industry."

They offer a respite carer brokerage service, that helps provide appropriately trained carers for short term, occassional or regular care.  Contact  1300 737 942 or visit their website at www.carechoice.net.au 

Find-A-Carer

This website has been set up by parents frustrated with the difficulty in finding appropriate respite care for their child with a disability. It is a service for both care providers and care seekers, whereby you enter your requirements or abilities, and matches are found for both care type and location. There is a fee for joining the site.  It covers both aged and disability care. Download a flyer here or visit the website at www.findacarer.com.au 

Breakaway Flexible Respite

Breakaway Flexible Respite provides access to funds for planned respite both in and out of home.

The aim of this service is to give primary carers of people with disability broader options for obtaining support that is meaningful to them, while still providing a positive experience for the person with disability.

Breakaway's respite options may include:

• In-home support (short-term)
• Recreation
• Assistance to go on a family holiday (i.e. accommodation/travel costs)
• Camps
• Holiday programs
• Group holidays and activities

This program operates in the Eastern Metropolitan Region and the inner areas of the Southern Metropolitan Region.

For more information please go to their website at http://www.yooralla.com.au/services/respite/community-respite 

YMCA Escapes

YMCA Escapes is a not for profit, fully inclusive travel program that caters for people over 18 who need support to travel.

• Travel service that is community minded and outcome focused so every traveller that attends one our Escapes leaves feeling happier, healthier and more connected to their world!
• YMCA Escapes tours have more fun and supportive staff than any other tour program out there. This means more choice and flexibility with travel itineraries all while maintaining safety.      
• Provides flexible and inclusive options that reduce barriers to travel. YMCA Escapes appreciates how important the right support is, and if a traveller prefers their personal support worker to join us on our adventures, they are more than welcome.
• We can organise tailored community camps, holidays or leadership programs with all ages and/or family groups with or without trained YMCA support staff. 

For more information about upcoming tours please get in touch with YMCA Escapes YMCAEscapes@ymca.org.au or call phone 03 8397 3111   

Uniting Care Life Assist

Whether you are a carer of an older person, a person with a disability or a person with a mental illness, we support you and help you maintain your own health and wellbeing. We provide government-funded programs and services, and can connect you to local support networks. We also provide self-funded services. Read more about carers on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) page.

If you need help finding what options are best for your individual circumstances, use our options selector.

"Respite - the space for you to take a break"

http://www.lifeassist.org.au/carer-wellbeing