More people caring for Western Australians with intellectual disabilities will be able to take a break over the Christmas holidays.
Extra respite care places are being jointly provided by the State and Commonwealth Governments.
State Disability Services Minister Eric Ripper today announced a special Christmas holiday respite program, which would be in addition to the existing Vacation Care program.
In the 1992 school holidays to date, the Vacation Care program had funded a total of 30 services to provide respite and care for a total of 110 children with disabilities who were integrated into mainstream holiday activities.
Mr Ripper said $76,000 had been jointly allocated to the program by the Authority for Intellectually Handicapped persons (AIH) and the Commonwealth Department of Health, Housing and Community Services.
Out of home residential respite care enabled children with disabilities to be cared for away from their homes, so families and carers could take a holiday.
Mr Ripper said the increase, for families of children with intellectual disabilities who had high-care needs, would benefit up to 50 families and would mean between six and eight extra places each week.
"The increased respite places will help relieve additional stresses on these families during the Christmas holidays and are being provided in Perth's northern suburbs - an area of high need," the Minister said.
The extra places will be provided at Authority for Intellectually Handicapped persons (AIH) hostels.
"This initiative is separate from the current review of accommodation services across the disability services field, which will be completed by the end of the year," Mr Ripper said.
"This review will clearly show areas of greatest need in the accommodation area and, for example, I am very mindful of the situation of elderly carers of people with disabilities."
The increased services were being advertised this weekend and applications would close on November 30. People should contact AIH (426 9222) for further details.
