Respite and short breaks

These are social groups where you can get together with others and have a break and a chat, depending on the type of group you may also be able to take the person you care for.  For more information on carer support groups visit Carer Friendly Dudley  or for community social groups near you Dudley Community Information Directory

Here an employed carer comes to your home and looks after the person you care for a few hours during the day or early evening, it is sometimes referred to as a sitting service   It can be either occasional, a short term or long-term arrangement depending on your needs.  This type of service can be helpful when the person you care for requires 24/7 care and support so cannot be left unsupervised, as it can enable you to attend a medical appointment, go shopping, have a break and attend an activity just for you

This is where the person you care for attends a local day service, sometimes known as a 'day centre', which offers an opportunity for them to participate in various activities, while you have a break

This is where the person you care for goes and stays in a care or nursing home (depending on their care needs) for a few days or more. This can provide a longer break from caring.

This is usually known as shared lives or 'adult fostering'. It is an innovative scheme that provides care and support for adults with additional needs or dementia and allows them to stay as part of a 'foster' family within the community.

There are several voluntary organisations and charitable trusts that provide holidays. These can be for people with specific illnesses or disabilities, or for older people who need extra support. Find out more information at Carers Trust.

You can access more information regarding respite and short breaks via Carers Trust.

You can also visit our Dudley Adult Social Care marketplace for a list of 'approved' care providers, residential and nursing homes in Dudley.

You can arrange respite care yourself through a private 'self funded' arrangement or by speaking to Dudley Adult Social Care. However, the council can only contribute to respite care costs if the person you care for

• does not have more than £23,250 in savings or investments or capital, known as the 'upper capital limit'
• has been assessed as having eligible care and support needs under the Care Act 2024

You can find more information on funding respite via Paying For Care 

Please note: That you may need to 'top up' the cost of the care, so please check with both the care provider and the allocated Adult Social Care worker.

It is also important to remember that the person you care for will need to consent to the alternative care / respite. If, as a result of their diagnosis and/or condition, they may lack capacity to consent an assessment of their capacity under the Mental Capacity Act may be carried out.

Who to contact

If you care for someone who already has a care and support plan with Dudley Adult Social Care, please contact the team or allocated social worker about arranging respite care.

If the person you care for does not have a care and support plan and you want to arrange respite care through the Council, the person you care for will need to have a social care assessment and a financial assessment. The financial assessment will work out how much the Council will fund. Click to complete an online financial self assessment

Our portal allows you to do your own self-assessment online, supporting you to identify your needs, enabling you to refer yourself for a variety of services from Dudley Adult Social Care, or you can

Telephone: 0300 555 0055

Email: Accessteam.dachs@dudley.gov.uk

You can also speak to an advisor at Dudley Carers Hub and Wellbeing Service via our online portal, or

Telephone: 01384 818723

Email: dudleycarershub@dudley.gov.uk

Carefree is an organisation that can support carers to have a short overnight break (usually 1 or 2 nights) in a hotel, to give you time and space away from caring.

To be eligible you need to be over 18 years of age and provide more than 30 hours of unpaid care per week. There is an admin charge for each break and you are responsible for paying for your travel costs. You can take someone with you, but this should not be your cared-for person so that you can truly get a break away from caring.

• Carefree

If you would like support being referred to Carefree, please contact Dudley Carers Hub & Wellbeing Service as our Adult Carers Wellbeing Service is a 'Community Partner' and have instant access to the Carefree Break Hub.

This enables carers (subject to eligibility) to access occasional or short term (up to 6 weeks) planned sit service, to attend an appointment (i.e. health) or function (i.e. funeral) or have a short break from the caring role to support an identified need. Contact Dudley Carers Hub for more details.

The council's Enabling Community Support service can provide a range of short-term support and assistance to older people aged 60 and over, in their own homes. For carers they can offer a holiday service up to twice per year, while you are away on holiday. This would involve either a telephone call or home visit to the person you care for to check they are all right while you are away. This is a free service, with no assessment required. Visit enabling community support.

Shared lives is an innovative scheme that provides care and support for adults with additional needs and allows them to live as part of a 'foster' family within the community