Unlike child care, respite services may sometimes involve overnight care for an extended period of time. One of the important purposes of respite is to give family members time and temporarily relieve the stress they may experience while providing extra care for a son or daughter with mental retardation or other disability.
Respite care enables families to take vacations, or just a few hours of time off.
Respite is often referred to as a gift of time. Parents may be reluctant to use a respite program. They may even question the need for this type of service. Many other programs are provided by local organizations such as churches, schools and other non-profit groups. Sometimes families arrange for care with neighbors or other people they know.