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Residential Respite Service

Description

A form of temporary or short-term residential care service for persons with disabilities. It serves the objective of providing temporary relief for family members or relatives who are the main caregivers of persons with disabilities requiring a certain degree of personal care whilist residing in the community. It aims at encouraging and helping persons with disabilities to continue living in the community for as long as possible.

Eligibility for the Service

The target service users of respite service are PWDs aged 6 or above (some RCHDs only serve PWDs aged 15 or above), who are –

  • in need of personal care assistance and nursing support (if applicable) within the scope of service provided by the respective type of rehabilitation services;
  • physically and mentally suitable for communal living without challenging behaviours; and
  • free from active infectious diseases.

Service Provision

  • The service period of respite service should be no more than 14 days under normal circumstances, or any duration as advised by the Social Welfare Department (SWD);
  • The Service Operator may extend the service unit up to 42 days subject to the availability of vacancies. Consultation with SWD is required for special cases in need of respite service for more than 42 days; and 
  • Respite service can be utilised repeatedly.

Application Procedures

  • May approach the respective service units for enquiry and direct application or request referrals through social workers of Medical Social Services Units, Integrated Family Services Centres, special schools or rehabilitation service units.
  • Applicants should observe the rules of admission to Residential Care Homes (RCHD) for Persons with Disabilities to conduct a medical examination by a registered medical practitioner prior to admission to an RCHD with the “Medical Examination Form for Residents in Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities”.  For urgent or special cases that medical examinations cannot be conducted prior to admission, medical examination should be arranged within 3 calendar days after admission to RCHD.
  • For persons with disabilities or their families in urgent need of Residential Respite Service for the persons with disabilities during non-office hours, they may directly approach the service operator of private residential care homes for the persons with disabilities under the Bought Place Scheme (BPS) providing residential respite service for assistance.  Non-office hours are (i) Monday to Saturday, from 5pm to 9am of the following day, and (ii) Sunday and Public Holidays, from 9am to 9am of the following day. 
  • Click the link to "Vacancy Enquiry System for Respite Services / Emergency Placement", for the vacancy information of Designated Residential Respite Places in subvented residential care homes for persons with disabilities and private homes participating in BPS.  For any enquiry, please contact SWD Hotline at 2343 2255.

Fees and Charges

Service charges are calculated on a daily basis. The general fee charging rates of the service are:

 Existing daily charge for service users receiving Disability Allowance (Note 1)Existing daily charge for service users not receiving Disability Allowance (Note 1)
Hostel for Moderately Mentally Handicapped Persons (HMMH) 
Private RCHDs under BPS (providing Medium Level of Care)
$52$49
Hostel for Severely Mentally Handicapped Persons (HSMH) Hostel for Severely Physically Handicapped Persons (HSPH) Hostel for Severely Physically Handicapped Persons with Mental Handicap (HSPH/MH) Care and Attention Home for Severely Disabled Persons (C&A/SD) 
Private RCHDs under BPS (providing High Level of Care)
$62$55
Supported Hostel$33$30

Note 1: With the prior approval from the SWD, individual service units may charge higher rates under individual circumstances.

Information of Service Unit

Item / TitleDownload File
Subvented RCHDsPDFWord
Private RCHDs under BPSPDFWord
Operational Guideline on Residential Respite Service for Persons with DisabilitiesPDF

Click the link to SWD Vacancy Enquiry System for Respite Services / Emergency Placement for the availability of Residential Respite Place Provided by Designated Vacancy.


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