Respite care and carer breaks
Everyone deserves time out. You may care for a relative or are in need of care yourself. Taking a break from your usual routine can do the world of good.
Many carers we spoke to prefer a regular frequent break from their caring role to have time to themselves exploring a hobby or spending time with family and friends or other family carers.
Staffordshire Together for Carers service provides regular befriending, peer support and carers groups which are free of charge for carers to access. The Staffordshire Together for Carers Service also fund local projects and initiatives providing carers a break from their caring role through the Carers Grants Scheme.
If you’re spending a lot of time caring for someone on a regular basis, you have the right to a carer’s assessment. This covers your own needs, including your need for a break and time to yourself.
The assessment of your needs as a carer can be carried out at the same time as the assessment of the person you are caring for. It can also be carried out separately.
Further information about this and how to get one can be found on our adult carers page.
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- If you as a carer are eligible for support, you may also be eligible for a carer's direct payment to help meet your needs.
This is a one-off payment given to carers to support your wellbeing which will be discussed and agreed with you during your carers assessment.
You can find out more about carers direct payments on our What Support may be Available to Me page.
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Also known as replacement care or short breaks, respite care allows the person you care for to be looked after by someone else on a temporary basis.
This may be in their own home, in someone else's home, attending a day opportunities service, staying in a residential care home, or a nursing home.
Depending on the circumstances and an individual’s needs, a respite stay can range from a few hours to a few weeks, and can be arranged on a recurring or one-off basis.
Your social care journey explained
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Respite care may be available in an emergency, please contact us to discuss your needs should this type of situation arise. If respite care is required out of hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team.
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Sometimes family and friends can help share your caring responsibilities. If you don’t have a personal support network, you could arrange for respite care using: