The NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) has released a discussion paper titled “New Directions for respite services in NSW”. which broadly outlines the direction DADHC intends to take to reform and expand respite services in the state. DADHC invites comment and feedback from people with a disability, their carers and families, advocates and service providers.

The paper discusses the delivery of and access to disability respite services, the type of services provided, where they are delivered and the development of new respite services. It talks of :

• The purpose of respite
• The principles that underpin and guide the provision and delivery of respite services
• The current respite service system
• Other services that give carers a break
• Why the need to change
• Feedback from families and advocates
• Results of Research

Based on client feedback and research, the discussion paper proposes that the reform of respite care will be based on:

• the expansion of respite services and the development of new service models in response to unmet need;
• giving individuals greater control and choice in the services they receive;
• streamlining access to services; and
• building the capacity of the service system.

Research indicating who most need respite services has identified priority groups of carers. These are

• Carers of people with challenging behaviours and severe disabilities
• Young carers
• Older parent carers
• Hidden carers – carers who may not identify with the word `carer’.
• Aboriginal and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) carers

This initiative is part of

• “Stronger Together - A new direction for disability services in NSW 2006-2016″ the NSW government’s plan to deliver better services for people with a disability and their families. The plan provides an additional $1 billion funding over the first five years.
• The NSW Carers Action Plan 2007 ­- 2012 which
  outlines the NSW Government’s commitment to the state’s 750,000 carers over its first five years. This plan recognizes:
  • Carers are recognised, respected and valued.
  • Hidden carers are identified and supported.
  • Services for carers and the people they care for are improved.
  • Carers are partners in care.
  • Carers are supported to combine caring and work

The New Directions for respite services in NSW discussion paper invites feedback from the community, until 26 June 2009, about the proposed new directions. The discussion paper is available for in download – pdf format or from the link on the DADHC’s website at www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au. A number of questions have been set for discussion:

• Priority groups of carers
  • What difference does respite make to you and your family?
  • What types of respite services have you used?
  • What ones have helped you the most? Why?
  • What types of respite services does your family need?
  • Have you faced any barriers in accessing respite?
  • Are respite services available at the best times for you?
  • When do you and your family need respite?
  • Are there any other types of respite services you would like to see provided?
• Expanding services and developing new service models in response to unmet need
  • Do you know of any other service models that are operating well in
    other jurisdictions that we should consider piloting in NSW?
  • In what ways can we improve our existing services models?
• Older Parent Carers
  • What types of respite or other services are needed for older carers?
  • How can respite services for older carers be improved?
• People with challenging behaviours and high support needs
  • How can respite services be improved so that these clients can access them?
  • How can services be delivered to meet individual need?
  • What services are needed for these client groups?
  • How can these respite services be integrated with other services?
  • How can respite services be delivered for high support and complex
    health care needs in regional and remote areas?
• Giving individuals greater choice and control in the services they receive
  • What degree of choice and control do families want?
  • In what ways can flexible respite be more flexible to suit individual needs?
  • What other activities could be provided by flexible respite services?
  • How can service providers work together to provide the right mix and balance of flexible respite activities?
  • In what ways can flexible respite services support working carers?
  • Would the provision of more tailored flexible activities reduce the need for some families to utilise centre-based respite?
• Streamlining access to services
  • How can access to centre based respite be improved?
  • How can access to other respite services be improved?
• Building the capacity of the service system
  • In what ways can DADHC support the ongoing training needs of the
    NGO sector in relation to respite, particularly surrounding the service
    provision for clients with complex needs?
  • What types of specific training are needed for respite staff?

If you wish to submit your answers to these questions, after reading the discussion paper, you can post them to:

Respite Directorate
NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
Level 5, 83 Clarence Street SYDNEY NSW 2000

Alternatively your feedback can be emailed to respite@dadhc.nsw.gov.au