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Social Work vocabulary · Adults and Vulnerable Groups

Respite care

Meaning in social work, with examples

nounCommon term

In social work, respite care means: Short-term care for a disabled, ill or older person that gives their usual carer a break, lasting from a few hours to a few weeks.

In Turkish: mola bakımı, geçici bakım, kısa süreli bakım

How it is used

It can be provided at home, in a day centre or through a short stay in a care home or with a short-break foster family. It is often written into a carer's support plan. 'Short breaks' is a common UK synonym, especially in children's services.

Example sentences

  1. Respite care every other weekend helps the parents keep going.

  2. He spends a week in respite care each summer so his daughter can have a break.

Common collocations

  • arrange respite care
  • respite break
  • overnight respite
  • short breaks
  • carerA person, often a family member or friend, who looks after someone who is ill, disabled, older or otherwise in need of support, usually without pay.
  • adult social carePractical and personal support for adults who need help because of age, illness or disability, such as home care, day centres and care homes.
  • residential careCare in which people live in a staffed setting, such as a children's home or a care home for older or disabled adults, rather than in a family home.
  • disabilityA long-term physical, sensory, intellectual or mental health condition that, combined with barriers in society, limits a person's daily activities.

More terms: Adults and Vulnerable Groups

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