Short-Term Accommodation & Respite
A short stay away from home — for participants to have a break somewhere different, and for carers to get a genuine one.
Who it's for
Participants wanting a short stay in a supported environment, and families or carers who need respite without worrying about the quality of care their person receives while they’re away.
What's included
- Short stays — a night, a weekend, or longer
- Support matched to your needs while you’re there
- Familiar staff wherever possible, to keep the transition low-stress
- Nursing support available where it’s needed
- Emergency accommodation at short notice when a situation breaks down
What this looks like day to day
A participant might come for a long weekend with the support they normally have at home, giving their usual carer a proper break while they enjoy a change of scenery.
Where this usually sits in a plan
Typically funded under Core Supports (Assistance with Daily Life) as Short-Term Accommodation, sometimes called respite.
General information only. Your support coordinator, plan manager or the NDIA can tell you what your own plan actually covers — we deliberately don’t advise on that.
“Trusting people with our son has always been hard due to him having behaviours that are hard to handle. Finding this in Lionheart has given our family the break needed to just breathe and refill our emotional cups, so we can continue being his support.”
Parent of a Lionheart participant
When something has gone wrong tonight
Separately from the stays above, we keep a two-bedroom apartment upstairs at our Tank Street site for emergency accommodation. A carer ends up in hospital, a placement falls apart on a Friday afternoon, a family situation changes with no notice — and someone needs a safe bed today.
It’s a flat rather than a ward — kitchen, lounge, two bedrooms — with our nursing, SIL and aged care teams working downstairs in the same building.
It isn’t a respite venue you can book. We deliberately keep it empty, because a bed that’s always full isn’t there when somebody needs it tonight. If you’re after a planned short stay, talk to us about what we can arrange — it won’t be this.
If you’re a support coordinator or a family in that position right now, call (07) 4910 8777. We can’t always say yes, but we’ll tell you quickly either way rather than leave you hoping.
Frequently asked questions
Are meals included?
No. Meals are not included in Short-Term Accommodation. It’s a messy area of the NDIS at the moment, so we’d sooner say it up front than have it come as a surprise.
Can family visit during a stay?
Yes — a stay is about a change of pace, not isolation. We’ll work with your family on what suits everyone.
My child’s behaviours are hard to handle. Can you still help?
Often, yes. We have a qualified Maybo trainer on staff supporting positive behaviour support plans, and our nurses meet every family first so we go in prepared rather than hopeful.
Do you take emergency placements?
Yes, where we can. We keep an apartment at Tank Street specifically for emergencies — see below. It isn’t bookable as planned respite, which is exactly why it tends to be free when someone needs it. Call (07) 4910 8777 and we’ll give you an answer quickly.
Ready to talk about Short-Term Accommodation & Respite?
Make a referral or call us directly — we'll walk you through next steps.