What Is Specialised Substitute Residential Care (SSRC) and How Can It Help Your Family?
What Is Specialised Substitute Residential Care (SSRC) and How Can It Help Your Family?
- August 13, 2026
If you’re a parent or carer supporting a child or young person with disability or more complex support needs, you may have come across the term Specialised Substitute Residential Care (SSRC).
At first, SSRC can sound like another complicated term to add to an already confusing list of services and support options. But at its heart, SSRC is about something quite simple: making sure children and young people can receive safe, appropriate care away from their usual home when they need it, while giving families and carers the support and breathing space they need too.
If you’re exploring SSRC in Sydney, you may be wondering what it involves, who it is for, how it works and what you should look for in a provider.
Let’s take a closer look.
So, what exactly is SSRC?
In NSW, Specialised Substitute Residential Care refers to an arrangement where a child or young person receives care away from their usual family home for three or more nights in a seven-day period, where the care is for respite or behaviour support, or is funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
SSRC can look different from family to family. Depending on the circumstances, it may include:
- Overnight or short-term respite
- Short-term accommodation funded through the NDIS
- A planned series of regular overnight stays
- Emergency or one-off care arrangements
- Host-family arrangements
- Residential programs that provide behaviour support
- Camps involving respite or behaviour support, or that are NDIS-funded
- Longer-term residential care arrangements
Importantly, SSRC isn’t necessarily a permanent arrangement. It could be something a family uses occasionally, regularly or in response to an unexpected situation.
Why might a family consider SSRC?
Every family is different, and there isn’t one “right” reason to explore SSRC.
For some families, regular overnight respite can provide valuable time to rest, work, spend time with other family members or simply recharge.
For others, SSRC may provide additional support during a particularly challenging period or give a young person access to an environment where their individual needs can be supported.
The goal isn’t to replace family. Rather, good SSRC should work alongside families and existing support networks to help create a safe and positive experience for the child or young person.
A good service should also recognise that children and young people have their own preferences, strengths, interests and goals. Their voice should remain an important part of decisions about their care.
What does SSRC look like in everyday life?
It can be helpful to think beyond the term “residential care”.
For a young person, an SSRC stay might simply mean having a comfortable place to stay overnight, supported by people who understand their needs and routines.
That could include helping with:
- Daily routines
- Personal care where required
- Meals and household activities
- Medication or health-related routines, where appropriately supported
- Communication needs
- Emotional and behavioural support
- Community participation
- Recreational activities
- Maintaining familiar routines and interests
- Working towards individual goals
The experience should feel as positive, familiar and empowering as possible.
Rather than focusing only on what a young person may need help with, quality support should also recognise what they enjoy, what they can do, what matters to them and how they want to participate.
How does SSRC support parents and carers?
Caring for a child or young person can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be demanding.
There may be appointments to manage, routines to maintain, work and family commitments to balance, and very little time to simply stop and catch your breath.
Planned respite through SSRC can give families some much-needed space while knowing their child is being supported in a safe environment.
That might mean having time to:
Catch up on sleep and rest
- Spend quality time with other children or family members
- Manage work or personal commitments
- Attend appointments
- Take care of everyday responsibilities
- Recharge emotionally and physically
Asking for support doesn’t mean you’re not doing enough.
Sometimes, getting the right support is exactly what helps families continue doing what they do best.
How does SSRC connect with the NDIS?
For some children and young people, SSRC may be connected with NDIS-funded supports, including eligible short-term accommodation arrangements.
However, NDIS funding isn’t automatically available for every SSRC arrangement. Whether a particular support can be funded depends on the person’s individual circumstances, plan and the relevant NDIS requirements.
If you’re unsure, it can be helpful to speak with your support coordinator, plan manager, NDIS representative or prospective provider before making arrangements.
A good provider should also take the time to understand the young person’s goals, support needs and existing arrangements rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Is SSRC regulated in NSW?
Yes. This is an important consideration for families.
In NSW, specialised substitute residential care is regulated under the Child Safe Scheme, with the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) responsible for monitoring providers. SSRC providers must comply with the relevant SSRC Code of Practice, which sets minimum requirements relating to areas such as child safety, intake and assessment, supervision, case planning, staff recruitment and training.
There is also an SSRC Register. Providers must record overnight placements on the register, including placements of only one night, allowing the OCG to monitor the amount of time children and young people spend in overnight care.
For parents and carers, this regulatory framework is an important part of understanding how child safety and oversight are built into SSRC in NSW.
What should you look for when choosing an SSRC provider in Sydney?
Choosing someone to care for your child away from home is a big decision. It’s completely reasonable to have questions — in fact, asking questions is one of the best ways to understand whether a service feels right for your family.
When speaking with an SSRC provider, you may want to ask:
Is the provider listed with the OCG?
The NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian maintains a public listing of organisations and sole traders that have self-identified and registered as SSRC providers and completed the required Child Safe Self-assessment. It is important to note that appearing on the OCG listing does not necessarily mean that a provider has been accredited or assessed as meeting all legislative requirements.
How will you get to know my child?
A good provider should want to understand the person behind the support requirements.
Ask how they learn about your child’s:
Preferences and interests
Communication style
Daily routines
Strengths and abilities
Support needs
Cultural needs
Behaviour support requirements
Personal goals
NSW guidance specifically highlights the importance of child-centred decision-making, considering a child’s preferences, strengths and goals, as well as the needs of their family.
How will you communicate with us?
Good communication can make a huge difference.
Ask how often you’ll receive updates, who you’ll speak with if you have a concern and how information about your child’s care will be shared.
You should feel comfortable asking questions and raising concerns at any stage.
Can we see the environment?
If appropriate, ask whether you can visit the accommodation or service environment before your child’s first stay.
The OCG encourages parents and carers to ask questions and, where possible, look at the environment to make sure it is suitable and allows children to be safely supported and supervised.
How will my child’s routine be maintained?
A new environment can feel unfamiliar, particularly for a young person who relies on predictable routines.
Ask how the provider will support familiar meals, activities, communication methods, bedtime routines, interests and other important parts of everyday life.
Small things can make a big difference.
What does good SSRC support look like?
At its best, SSRC is about more than providing somewhere for a child or young person to stay.
It’s about creating an environment where they can feel safe, respected, heard and included.
That means taking the time to understand the individual rather than defining them by a diagnosis or support need.
It means celebrating progress, encouraging independence where appropriate and creating opportunities to participate in activities that are meaningful to them.
It also means recognising that families are an important part of the support network.
The NSW SSRC framework encourages providers to communicate with children, parents and guardians and, where appropriate, the other support providers involved in a child’s life. It also highlights the importance of responding to cultural and diverse needs.
What if SSRC feels overwhelming?
If you’re reading about SSRC because you’re already feeling stretched, you don’t need to have everything figured out before asking questions.
Start with what you know.
Think about what your child needs to feel comfortable and safe. Consider what you need as a family. Write down your questions and talk to providers about what a typical stay would look like.
You can also involve your existing support network, such as your support coordinator or other professionals who know your child well.
The right support should make things clearer, not more confusing.
Looking for SSRC Support in Sydney?
If you’re exploring SSRC for your child or young person, having a conversation with an experienced provider can help you understand what support may be suitable for your family.
Concept Care is a Specialised Substitute Residential Care (SSRC) provider in NSW, supporting children and young people with individualised care in a safe and supportive environment.
Our team takes the time to understand each young person’s needs, routines, preferences and goals, while working closely with families, carers and other professionals involved in their support.
If you’re considering SSRC and would like to learn more about your options, contact Concept Care to discuss your circumstances with our team.