Disability Respite Camps

Yes.

Y Whittlesea is fully accredited with the Australian Childhood Foundation Safeguarding program and is fully committed to adhering to and maintaining safeguarding standards for children, young people and vulnerable people.

View our Safeguarding Policy here. Any concerns, please contact the office on 1300 699 622.

To participate in Inclusion Services programs, you will need to look at how you can pay for these supports. This may include seeing what funding you have available (i.e. NDIS, DFFHS, or other funding models) or you may choose to self-fund.

If you are using funding, you will need to ensure your plan includes the following:

• Group and centre-based activities

• Travel and Transport

• Participation in Community, Social and Civic Activities

• Development of daily living and life skills

Please be advised that the cost will change depending on the level of support the participant requires.

To get ready for you Plan, start thinking about your immediate support needs and what your current and future goals might be.

If you have not yet looked into your first Plan, please click here for more information from the NDIS website.

Participation in Community, Social and Civic activities; Exercise Physiology & Personal Well-being Activities; and Development of daily living and life skills need to be included into your Plan to participate on Y Journey camps.

The cost of Y Journeys camp programs vary from program to program.

Program costs include:

• Support Costs

• Group and centre-based Activities

• Community, Social and Civic Activities – these costs cover accommodation, meals and activities.

Please note: The funders regularly review their pricing which then will have a flow on to Inclusion Services at the Y pricing. Please contact the office on 1300 699 622 for further information.

Please contact us for upcoming programs and quotes. An overview of costings can be viewed here.

There may be at times out of pocket cost for participants to access our camps. This will be communicated to you prior to going on camp.

Currently we offer the following support ratios:

• 2:1

• 1:1

• 1:2

• 1:3

• 1:4

Please click here to see our support ratios explained.

No — unfortunately participants are not able to bring their own support worker to our camps.

All Y Inclusion Services camps are delivered by our own qualified, trained, and safety-checked staff. This ensures consistent supervision, communication, behaviour support, and safeguarding standards across the entire camp environment. External support workers cannot be accommodated due to camp safety protocols, and our responsibility to maintain a controlled and compliant staffing structure.

However, we can absolutely support your needs in other ways:

• We offer flexible support ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3 etc.) depending on what you require to participate safely and comfortably.

• We can arrange a pre-camp planning meeting to learn about your routines, communication style, behaviour support strategies, and what helps you feel your best.

• We can look to hire your support worker as one of our team and provide them with the same safety, security checks and onboard and safeguarding training.

If you’d like to discuss the best option for your individual support needs, our team is here to help.

Please contact the office if you have any queries on 1300 699 622.

Active night support involves a support worker providing observation and assistance to clients during nighttime/sleeping hours. Different levels of supervision are available depending on client needs and arranged on a program or individualised basis.

1:1 Active Night Support (Full Supervision)

• A dedicated support worker is assigned to one client.

• The support worker remains present in the client’s room at all times with door open throughout the shift.

• This ensures monitoring of medical/specialised/high intensity support needs, immediate response to any needs, offering full, continuous supervision and reassurance.

• This active night model does not share cost of support worker.

1:1 Active Night Support (Reduced Supervision)

• A support worker is assigned to one client.

• The support worker will monitor the client from outside the room, using regular checks or visual observation through an open door, monitor or observation window.

• This allows for privacy while still maintaining safety and availability for assistance when needed.

• This active night model does not share cost of support worker.

Group Active Night Support 

• A support worker is assigned to multiple clients at once.

• The worker rotates between clients, performing regular check-ins and providing support as required.

• Clients are not under constant supervision; support is available as needed, balancing the needs of multiple individuals.

• This active night model shares cost of support worker with multiple clients.

Yes, clients at camp will be required to share a room (only a limited number of single rooms may be available on some camps). Our team carefully matches roommates based on a range of factors, including abilities, friendships, personalities, past room-sharing experiences, support needs, compatibility, shared activities, interests, and values.

Room assignments are also based on gender, and we ensure that clients do not share an ensuite bathroom with someone of the opposite sex. Additionally, clients aged over 18 will not be required to share a room with anyone under the age of 18.

Room changes may be made during camp if needed to support the comfort, safety, and well-being of everyone involved.

Our camps are held within 2-3 hours drive from Melbourne.

Activities on our camp programs will vary depending on what campsite/location you will be staying at.

We are all about ADVENTURE so you will find yourself outdoors doing activities such as canoeing, flying fox, giant swing, ropes courses, swimming, bush walking, archery, yabbying and much more. If you are more the indoor type there will also be plenty for you to do such as arts and crafts, discos, movie nights and cooking. You may also visit local attractions, festivals and markets.

View our programs explained or check out this video.