Respite Care Scotland, 2011-12

2. Main points

This statistics release presents information on the number of respite weeks provided or purchased by Local Authorities in Scotland.

The total number of respite weeks provided in Scotland increased by 1,670 weeks between 2010/11 and 2011/12. This follows previous increases in respite care in between 2007/08 and 2008/09 (1,300 weeks), 2008/09 and 2009/10 (7,860 weeks) and 2009/10 and 2010/11 (1,410 weeks).

There are many different types of respite care. It might involve the cared-for person having a break away from home for a few nights, thus benefitting the carer in that they have time for themselves. Or the carer might have a break away, with services being put in place to support the cared-for person. Some people want to have a break together, with additional support to make this happen. Sometimes the service is provided in the home for the cared-for person, with the carer having time to do something themselves for a couple of hours during the day. This publication looks separately at overnight respite stays and daytime respite care.

The majority (67%) of respite provision occurs during the day rather then overnight. In 2006/07 61% of respite was provided during the day, this had increased each year until 2011/12 where the percentage of daytime provision has decreased from 68% to 67%.

The number of daytime weeks provided has increased from 100,050 in 2006/07 to 138,500 in 2011/12, whilst the number of overnight weeks has increased from 63,590 in 2006/07 to 66,900 in 2011/12, following an initial decrease between 2006/07 and 2007/08.

Respite provision to older people (aged 65+) has shown a shift to the provision of more daytime respite than overnight, as 56% of respite in 2006/07 was provided during the day, this is now nearly 63% in 2011/12. When compared with the other age groups older people receive a smaller proportion of their respite during the day.

Adults (aged 18-64) receive nearly 74% of their respite during the day, this has increased each year from 68% in 2006/07 and this age group, when compared to the other age groups receive a higher proportion of their respite during the day.

The provision of respite to younger people (aged 0-18) has varied since 2006/07, although the overall trend is for the percentage of daytime respite provided has increase from 62% to 67% in 2011/12. This is due to an increase in daytime provision and a decrease in overnight respite provide.