Respite and parental relinquishment of care: A comprehensive review of the available literature

A family having to relinquish the care of their family member with a disability is a situation that is often dealt with by disability services. In precipitous situations, the relinquished individual usually is placed in respite care until suitable permanent accommodation is organized or he or she is able to return to the family home. To examine to what extent the literature has discussed the issues associated with the need for urgent respite and how this need may link to relinquishment of care, the authors undertook an extensive review of relinquishment of care. The literature indicated that many families and carers feel that their respite needs are not being met and that certain individual and family characteristics are associated with need for urgent respite (such as severe disability, poor support, and carer distress).