This would involve you staying for a few nights at a respite care centre. Cambridgeshire has a respite care contract with Askham Place in Doddington and at The Manor Cheshire Home in Brampton near Huntingdon. Other centres can be used for respite care if necessary and you can discuss this with your care manager at your assessment.

How to apply?

Respite care or short breaks are only available to those who have informal carers.  Respite care, like all care services is only available once you have been assessed as needing such care. If it is agreed that you do need it, the care manager would book you a place at a time convenient to you, providing a bed is available.

Direct Payments:

Respite care or short breaks are also available to those who receive Direct Payments, if they have an informal carer.  However the informal carer cannot go away with the person if they will still be providing care.  Direct payments can be used for respite care. If you are assessed as needing respite care and would prefer to organise it yourself, you can do so by using a direct payment. This would enable you to book respite care when you want it and where you want it provided you can do so for the money available to you through your direct payment. You do not have to use the respite care money to go away; you could also use this money to pay someone to come into your home and assist you whilst your regular (informal) carer has a break. For more information on direct payments, see the Direct Payments section.

Cost of respite care:

 
Respite care, like most care services, is charged for. If you qualify for services you will not be charged until we have carried out a  Financial Assessment of your ability to pay for services.  We will then be able to tell you how much you will have to contribute to the cost of your respite care.

Further information about our charging policy and about Financial Assessment can be found in the section on Accessing Social Care.

To get an assessment telephone our Cambridgeshire Direct Contact Centre on:

              0845 045 5202