What is Respite?
Respite care may involve providing alternative family or institutional care for a person with a disability in order to enable the carer to take a short break, a holiday or a rest. It can cover very short-term respite, for example, a “babysitter” for an evening, or a much longer arrangement for a holiday. Schemes of respite care are sometimes called ‘Breakaway’ or ‘Friendship’ schemes.
Respite care or temporary care may be based in the community or in an institution. In practice, respite care is provided to a varying degree at a number of locations around the country – in some cases by your Health Service Executive (HSE) Area and in others by local or national voluntary organisations.
Respite Care Grant
The respite care grant is an annual cash payment made by the Department of Social Protection to certain carers for use as they wish.
How To Apply
You can obtain a Respite Care Grant application form from your local Social Welfare Office or Citizens Information Centre. Application forms are also available from the Department of Social Protection leaflet request telephone line. Locall 1890 20 23 25