Respite Care - Ontario

Published June 21, 2026

Caring for a child or adult on the autism spectrum is rewarding, but it is also constant. Respite care exists so that you can step back, rest, and look after yourself and the rest of your family — without worrying that your loved one isn't in good hands. This guide explains what respite is, how to pay for it in Ontario, where to find workers, and how to set things up so the arrangement actually works.

A Parent's Guide to Respite Care for Autistic Children and Adults in OntarioCaring for a child or adult on the autism spectrum is rewarding, but it is also constant. Respite care exists so that you can step back, rest, and look after yourself and the rest of your family — without worrying that your loved one isn't in good hands. This guide explains what respite is, how to pay for it in Ontario, where to find workers, and how to set things up so the arrangement actually works.<h2>What respite care is</h2>Respite is temporary, short-term care that gives the primary caregiver a break. It can be a couple of hours so you can run errands or sleep, a regular weekly arrangement, an occasional weekend, or longer overnight stays. It can happen in your own home or out in the community, and you can use it on a routine basis or only when you need it.The point isn't only to get tasks done. Caregivers carry a heavy load, and burnout is real. Taking a planned, guilt-free break is part of staying healthy enough to keep caring well over the long term.<h2>Types of respite</h2><ul><li>In-home respite — a worker comes to your home and supports your child or adult there. Good for younger kids, complex needs, or anyone who does best in a familiar environment.</li><li>Out-of-home / community respite — your loved one spends time at a program, a worker's setting, or out in the community (a swim, a walk, an activity). Useful for building independence and social skills.</li><li>Overnight or weekend respite — longer breaks, sometimes through an agency program or a specialized respite home.</li><li>Emergency / crisis respite — short-notice care when something unexpected comes up. Worth knowing your options before you need them.</li></ul><h2>How to pay for respite in Ontario</h2>Ontario funds respite through a few different programs depending on your loved one's age and needs. Amounts and eligibility change, so always confirm the current details on the official pages linked below.How to apply: For the under-18 programs below (SSAH, Enhanced Respite, and ACSD), you apply by contacting the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) regional office nearest you — find yours at <a target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ontario.ca/page/regional-offices-ministry-children-community-and-social-services">ontario.ca/page/regional-offices-ministry-children-community-and-social-services</a>. For adults (18+), the Passport Program is arranged through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO).<h3>If your child is under 18</h3><ul><li>Special Services at Home (SSAH). Helps families caring for a child with a developmental and/or physical disability. It provides funding to buy services — including respite — that support you as a caregiver or help your child take part in activities at home and in the community. It's administered by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, runs as a reimbursement program, and there is typically a waitlist.</li><li>Enhanced Respite for Medically Fragile and/or Technology-Dependent Children. A grant for families of children under 18 who depend on medical or technological equipment and need care around the clock. Families may be eligible for up to $4,130 per child, per year, and it can be received in addition to other respite supports. → <a target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://autismresourcehub.org/resources/177">Read the full guide</a></li><li>Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD). Financial support for low- to moderate-income families to help with the extra costs of caring for a child with a severe disability, which can include respite. → <a target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://autismresourcehub.org/resources/176">Read the full guide</a></li></ul><h3>If your loved one is 18 or older</h3><ul><li>Passport Program. Funds adults with a developmental disability to participate in their community, and specifically provides funding for caregiver respite for their primary caregivers. It's a reimbursement program administered through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO). The base allocation has recently been around $5,500 per year, with higher amounts possible based on assessed need.</li><li>Apply early. All adult developmental services in Ontario go through DSO. Families are generally encouraged to start the DSO application around age 16 so the young person is on the waitlist before turning 18.</li></ul><h3>A note on the Ontario Autism Program (OAP)</h3>The OAP focuses on therapies and foundational family services rather than respite directly. Respite funding generally comes through SSAH (under 18) or Passport (18+), so it's common to use the OAP alongside one of those programs.<h2>Where to find respite workers</h2><ul><li>Through an agency. Agencies recruit, screen, and often train workers, and handle scheduling. Less legwork for you, though usually a higher hourly cost and sometimes a wait.</li><li>Hire directly. Many Ontario programs (SSAH, Passport) let you find and pay your own worker. You get more control and choice, but you take on the screening and arrangements yourself.</li><li>College programs. Students in Developmental Services Worker (DSW), Personal Support Worker (PSW), Early Childhood Education, and related programs are often looking for relevant experience — especially over summer break. Local colleges in the Halton/GTA area are a good place to ask.</li><li>Word of mouth. Other parents are often your best source. Just remember that a recommendation shared privately isn't the same as that worker agreeing to be listed publicly — always ask the worker directly before passing their contact details on.</li><li>Your local respite host agency. The province-wide matching website RespiteServices.com / SupportYourWay.ca closed on April 1, 2025. Families now arrange respite through their regional host agency instead — see the Ontario-wide list below to find the one for your area.</li></ul><h2>Find your regional respite host agency (across Ontario)</h2>Since RespiteServices.com closed, each region's host agency is the place to ask about respite in your community. These are the host agencies that were part of that network. Contacts and roles can change over time, so confirm before relying on them — and if your region isn't listed, contact your local MCCSS regional office (linked above).<ul><li>Algoma — THRIVE Child Development Centre — respite@kidshthrive.ca · 705-759-1131 ext. 229</li><li>Chatham-Kent — Community Living Wallaceburg — roger.romses@getintocommunityliving.com</li><li>Durham — Durham Family Resources — sciarlariello@dafrs.com</li><li>Frontenac–Lennox & Addington — Community Living Kingston & District — hailey.latimer@clkingston.ca</li><li>Halton — Central West Specialized Developmental Services (CWSDS) — intake@cwsds.ca</li><li>Hamilton — Rygiel Supports for Community Living — jsteffler@rygiel.ca</li><li>Kenora — Wesway (Rainy River) — sgraham@wesway.com</li><li>Muskoka / Parry Sound & Nipissing — Community Living North Bay (tallan@clnb.org); Community Living South Muskoka (mrebelo@clsm.on.ca)</li><li>Ottawa — Service Coordination Support — Respiteservices@scsonline.ca</li><li>Peel — Child Development Resource Connection Peel — peelrespiteservices@cdrcp.com · infopeel.ca/respite</li><li>Perth — Family Service Perth-Huron — nmalcho@fsph.ca</li><li>Simcoe — Empower Simcoe (familyreliefadmin@empowersimcoe.ca); Catulpa Community Support Services (catulparespite@catulpa.on.ca)</li><li>Sudbury & Manitoulin — Children's Community Network — jfeth@ccnsudbury.on.ca</li><li>Thunder Bay — Wesway (Thunder Bay District) — sgraham@wesway.com</li><li>Windsor-Essex — Family Respite Services Windsor-Essex — sluelo@familyrespite.org</li><li>York — Your Support Services Network — Dsaccess@yssn.ca</li></ul><h2>What it typically costs</h2>Hourly rates vary with the worker's training, the level of support needed, and whether you go through an agency. Families hiring a worker directly commonly report rates in the range of about

Respite Care - Ontario

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