Children's Respite Services

Download the Children's Respite brochure

The Centre for Cerebral Palsy recognises the importance of maintaining the family unit and so provides a range of respite options to support families of children with a disability.

In order to meet the individual needs of our service users, both out of home and in home respite services are offered. Families may use either or both services.

Out of Home Respite

The Centre for Cerebral Palsy offers out of home respite to children aged 6 to 18 with a physical disability at two venues in the metropolitan area:

• Bentley, where up to six children can be catered for, is open during school terms between 3.00pm Thursday to 9.00am Tuesday, and seven days a week during school holidays.
• Ballajura, where up to nine children can be catered for, is open seven days a week during school terms.

Currently many vacancies exist for mid-week respite. The service is not suitable for children with challenging behaviours.

For further information on respite services, please contact the Children's Respite Coordinator on 9443 0285.

In Home Respite

In home respite services are provided by Family Support Workers in the family home at times to suit the individual needs of the child and their family.

The role of the Family Support Worker includes the care normally provided by parents and may involve caring for one or all children in the family, light household duties or taking children on outings.

Cash Conversion Service
The Centre for Cerebral Palsy offers a Cash Conversion Service that enables families to convert an annual allocation of 100 or 200 in-home respite hours into a cash grant to fund and manage their own respite worker. Cash is allocated in quarterly instalments over the financial year.

Families should note that as they will be employing the respite worker themselves, they are required to purchase workers compensation and indemnity insurance before a grant can be allocated.

Intensive Family Support
Individuals in receipt of Intensive Family Support (IFS) funding from the Disability Services Commission can select The Centre as their nominated service provider.

Brokerage
Brokerage is provided to assist families to access respite services not currently offered by The Centre for Cerebral Palsy or other agencies.

Under the brokerage service families are provided with a once-off grant of $400 per child, per year. Examples of how the grant can be used include upgrading holiday accommodation to provide for wheelchair access and covering hotel accommodation to enable a parent to be near their child should they be in hospital. Families are required to sign a simple Statement of Agreement regarding the use of brokerage funds and to provide receipts to demonstrate expenditure.

For further information on Children's Respite Services, please call (08) 9443 0285.