Finding the right temporary care arrangement can make a meaningful difference for both NDIS participants and the family members or carers who support them. Short Term Accommodation NDIS, now referred to by the NDIS as short term respite, is designed to give eligible participants time away from their usual care arrangements while their primary informal supports have a temporary break.
When considering disability services in Perth, people should have a good understanding of what short term respite is. Not everyone will benefit from this service, but it may be right for some. If you have a personalised NDIS plan, short term respite may help you with your personal care needs, as well as with daily living tasks, while giving you the chance to see and experience a new setting.
This guide will clarify how NDIS short term accommodation will be provided and who it will be provided to. It will also explain what this respite support may look like and help you determine whether it is right for you.
What Is Short Term Accommodation NDIS?
Short Term Accommodation NDIS is commonly used to describe an NDIS support now called short term respite. It gives eligible NDIS participants time apart from their usual care arrangements while their primary informal supports, such as family members, friends or carers, take a temporary break. Depending on the participant’s approved supports, short term respite may include disability-related assistance during the stay, such as personal care and help with daily activities.
What Does Short Term Accommodation Mean Under the NDIS?
Short Term Accommodation, commonly known as STA and now officially referred to as short term respite by the NDIS, provides temporary disability-related support away from a participant’s usual care arrangements.
The main purpose is to provide a temporary period of respite. This can give participants a change from their usual routine while allowing the family members, friends or carers who provide significant informal disability-related support an opportunity to take a break.
Short term respite is not simply a holiday or general accommodation expense. Whether the NDIS funds this support depends on the participant’s individual circumstances and whether the support meets current NDIS funding requirements.
Participants and families should always check their individual plan and current NDIS guidance before making arrangements.
Who Is Short Term Accommodation NDIS For?
Short Term Accommodation NDIS may be relevant to participants who rely significantly on primary informal supports and need disability-related support during a temporary period away from their usual care arrangements.
According to current NDIS guidance, a participant may be able to receive short term respite funding if they live with their primary informal supports—such as family, friends or a carer—or receive daily drop-in support, and receive more than six hours of disability-related support each day from their primary informal supports.
Every participant’s situation is different, and funding decisions are made based on individual circumstances.
Short term respite may therefore be relevant when:
A primary informal carer needs a temporary break from their usual caring responsibilities.
A participant requires disability-related support while temporarily away from their normal care arrangement.
Temporary respite could help informal supports continue in their caring role.
The participant’s disability-related support needs and individual circumstances meet NDIS funding criteria.
If you are unsure whether short term respite is appropriate, speaking with the NDIS or your NDIS Support Coordinator can help you better understand the options available within your plan.
What Is Included in NDIS Short Term Accommodation?
What is included will depend on the participant’s approved NDIS supports, individual needs and the arrangement with the provider.
Where funded and appropriate, support during a short term respite stay may involve assistance with everyday disability-related needs.
This could include:
Personal Care and Daily Activities
Participants who require help with personal routines may receive appropriate assistance based on their individual support needs. This can include support similar to Assist Personal Activities or NDIS personal care, helping the participant maintain their usual routines with dignity and respect.
Assistance With Everyday Tasks
Some participants may need help completing routine activities during their stay. Depending on their approved supports, this may complement broader NDIS Assistance with Daily Life and help them manage everyday activities while away from their usual care arrangement.
Meals and Disability-Related Support
Where appropriate to the participant’s funded support arrangement, assistance may be provided with meals and other everyday activities required during the respite period.
Support Based on Individual Needs
Every participant has different abilities, preferences, routines and disability-related support requirements. A suitable provider should understand these needs before the stay and discuss how support will be delivered.
How Long Can You Stay in NDIS Short Term Accommodation?
The duration of Short Term Accommodation NDIS or short term respite depends on the participant’s circumstances, approved funding and current NDIS rules.
It is important not to assume that every participant automatically receives a fixed number of respite days. Eligibility and the level of support funded are determined individually.
Before booking a stay, check your NDIS plan and discuss your available funding with the NDIS, your plan manager or your support coordinator where relevant.
This helps you understand what has been approved and avoid committing to services that may not be covered by your plan.
How Does Short Term Respite Funding Work?
Funding for short term respite is based on a participant’s individual disability-related needs and circumstances.
The NDIS considers whether the requested support meets its funding criteria. Having an NDIS plan does not automatically mean that short term respite will be funded.
If you believe you need this type of support, the process may involve:
Identifying why respite is required and how it relates to your disability-related support needs.
Discussing your circumstances with the NDIS during planning or reassessment processes where appropriate.
Providing relevant information about the informal support you currently receive.
Checking whether short term respite has been approved within your NDIS funding.
Choosing a suitable provider who understands your individual needs and can safely support you.
For the latest eligibility and funding information, refer directly to the NDIS guidance on short term respite.
What Is the Difference Between Short Term Accommodation and Supported Independent Living?
These supports have different purposes, and understanding the distinction can help participants explore the right type of support.
NDIS short term accommodation, or short term respite, is temporary and is intended to provide time apart from a participant’s usual care arrangements.
NDIS Supported Independent Living, commonly known as SIL, generally involves ongoing assistance or supervision with daily tasks for eligible participants living in a shared or individual living arrangement.
Participants exploring longer-term living options may also consider NDIS Accommodation or Supported accommodation for people with disabilities, depending on their circumstances and NDIS funding.
If your goal is to develop greater independence in everyday life, supports such as NDIS improved daily living skills or Development-Life Skills may also be relevant.
Is Short Term Accommodation the Same as Respite Care?
The terms are closely connected in the NDIS context.
The NDIS officially changed the name of Short Term Accommodation to short term respite in 2025 to better reflect the purpose of the support. The intention is to give participants time apart from their usual care arrangements while their primary informal supports take a temporary break.
This means people searching online for NDIS short term accommodation may now see the term “short term respite” used in official NDIS information.
The terminology has changed, but many participants, families and providers may still use the terms STA, Short Term Accommodation and respite when discussing this type of support.
What Are the Benefits of Short Term Respite?
When appropriate and funded for a participant’s individual circumstances, short term respite can support both participants and their primary informal supports.
For participants, a temporary stay can provide continuity of disability-related assistance while they spend time away from their normal care arrangement. Depending on the support provided, participants may also have opportunities to engage in suitable everyday or community activities.
For family members, friends or carers providing significant informal support, respite can provide valuable time away from caring responsibilities. This temporary break can support the sustainability of informal care arrangements over the longer term.
The most important factor is that the arrangement is appropriate for the participant’s disability-related needs, preferences, safety and approved NDIS supports.
How Do You Choose a Short Term Accommodation Provider in Perth?
Choosing a provider requires more than simply finding an available place to stay. Participants and families should consider whether the provider can appropriately meet the person’s individual disability-related support requirements.
Before choosing a provider, consider asking:
Does the provider have experience supporting participants with needs similar to yours?
What assistance will be available during the stay?
How will your personal routines and preferences be respected?
How does the provider manage safety and participant wellbeing?
Can they support your personal care requirements?
What information do they need before your stay?
Are the proposed services consistent with your NDIS funding?
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission provides information about the standards and responsibilities that apply across NDIS supports and services. Taking time to understand your rights can help you make informed choices when selecting an NDIS Provider in Perth.
How Can Grace Reyat Disability Services Support You in Perth?
At Grace Reyat Disability Services, we understand that arranging temporary or ongoing disability support is a personal decision. Participants and families need clear information, respectful communication and support that considers the individual’s routines, preferences and goals.
Our team provides a range of Disability Support Services in Perth designed to help participants with different aspects of everyday life and independence.
Depending on your individual NDIS plan and approved supports, we can assist with services including NDIS Accommodation, Assist Personal Activities, Daily tasks shared living NDIS and Development-Life Skills.
Our approach focuses on understanding the person behind the plan. We work with participants and their support networks to discuss individual needs and explore appropriate support options.
If you are considering Short Term Accommodation NDIS or need information about disability support options in Perth, our team can help you understand the services we provide and discuss whether they align with your individual needs.
Talk to Grace Reyat About Short Term Accommodation NDIS in Perth
Finding suitable temporary support should begin with understanding your needs, your NDIS funding and the type of assistance that will help you feel comfortable and supported.
If you are exploring NDIS short term accommodation in Perth, contact Grace Reyat Disability Services today. Our friendly team can discuss your individual support requirements, answer questions about our services and help you explore suitable options based on your circumstances.
Take the next step towards personalised disability support by speaking with our team today. Speak with Grace Reyat Disability Services and discover how our team can support you or your loved one with compassionate, participant-focused care in Perth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Short Term Accommodation NDIS
Depending on a participant’s approved funding and disability-related needs, Short Term Accommodation NDIS, now called short term respite, may cover the support required during a temporary period away from usual care arrangements. Participants should check their individual NDIS plan and current NDIS guidance to confirm what is funded.
Current NDIS guidance states short-term respite may be accessible for participants who receive high levels of daily disability-related support from primary informal support and meet other funding criteria. Having an NDIS plan does not guarantee the individual will receive funding for short-term respite.
There is no standard number of days to be assumed for any participant. The availability and length of short term respite support is determined by individual circumstances and is reflected in the NDIS funding that is approved. Participants are encouraged to refer to their current plan or contact the NDIS for inquiries relevant to their circumstances.
In the current National Disability Insurance Scheme context, Short Term Accommodation is now referred to as short term respite. The name change is a better descriptor of the function, which is to provide participants a break from their usual care arrangement and provide primary informal supports a break from their caring duties.
Short-term respite is not intended to fund a typical holiday. NDIS funds disability-related supports that are in scope, not holiday-related expenses. If you are intending travel or a temporary stay, please refer to the current NDIS guidance to establish what disability-related supports may be available, if any.
