The Children’s Community Nursing service provide respite support for children with chronic, life limiting or terminal illnesses at home.

The respite care is provided by a registered children’s nurse, nurse associate or health care assistant. All staff are trained to support and deliver the important care that the children require and follow the Delegated Health Care Tasks.

ROSY

The Respite function is made possible by charity funding through the ROSY appeal (Respite for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters), part of the Oxford Health Charity (registered charity number 1057285).

All ROSY activities enhance statutory NHS care and enable more children and their families to receive invaluable support and respite care at home.

Learn more about ROSY appeal

The ROSY appeal was set up in 2002 to bridge the gap between care in the hospital and at home. The volunteers and supporters of the fund, along with the team delivering care as a result of ROSY funding, have worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the need for respite nursing and promote fundraising opportunities to increase the respite care provided to the families.

We work closely with the Oxford Health Charity team to ensure we can continue to provide the appropriate support for families.  To get involved in fundraising for this important work, visit the ROSY Appeal pages or contact the team by emailing ROSY@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk.

Respite for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters (ROSY) (Oxford Health Charity)

Visit the ROSY website

What is respite?

The aim of respite is to enhance the quality of life for a baby, child or young person with complex health needs and their family. This is achieved through providing support and periods of respite, usually in the family home.

Respite sessions are designed to:

  • Provide the family or main carers of the baby, child or young person with a short break in the form of a 3 hour session offered weekly, fortnightly, monthly or during school holidays.
  • Provide the baby, child or young person with the opportunity to be taken out of the family home e.g. for a walk or to attend activities (consent and risk assessment will be completed.)
  • Provide all cares in line with the child’s personal care plan which will have been developed with the family to ensure that all cares are met during the session.
  • Support with play or sensory activities.
Respite sessions

We currently offer two sessions, these are:

  • Morning: 9:30am to 12.30pm
  • Afternoon: 13:30pm to 16:30pm

We occasionally are able to provide respite for special requests for evening and weekend. However, families would need to contact either their CCN or the CCN SPA and the locality lead would be able to discuss this request further with the family to see if this is possible.

Who is eligible for respite?

Respite sessions are available to any baby, child or young person held on the CCN caseload.

The Respite caseload consists of babies, children and young people who receive respite sessions throughout the year and children and young people who receive respite sessions during school holidays.

To ensure sessions are offered out fairly each child will need to have an assessment which is when it will be determined if a child will receive weekly/fortnightly/monthly/school holidays. This assessment will then be reviewed regularly to ensure the child/young person and family’s circumstances have not changed.

How to request respite?

For some babies, children and young people there is an identified need for respite support which is determined at the initial stage of referral into the CCN service.

For others respite support is not identified until later due to family circumstances changing or changes in health care needs.

Should you feel that respite care would be useful to you and your family, please speak to your Child’s Community Nurse or call the CCN Single Point of Access on 01865 902 700. Your request will be passed onto the locality lead for your area.

Page last reviewed: 10 February, 2026