Short Term Accommodation, or STA, is NDIS funding for a stay away from home — typically up to 14 days at a time — covering support, accommodation, meals and activities. It gives the participant a change of environment and gives family or carers a planned break. Most people still call it respite.
More than a place to stay
STA provides participants with opportunities to build independence, experience new environments, access community activities and maintain or develop daily living skills.
It can also support transitions from out-of-home care or other living arrangements into more stable disability accommodation options where appropriate.
Support matched to your needs
Supports range from standard assistance through to higher intensity care, depending on individual needs — always delivered by trained teams with clinical oversight. We provide STA services across Newcastle and the wider Hunter region.
Planning a stay so it goes well
The stays that go well are the ones planned with enough lead time to get the details right — who the support workers will be, what a normal day looks like, food, medication, routines, what helps when things get hard. We ask for that information because a Short Term Accommodation stay is somebody's home for those days, and unfamiliar staff working from a thin profile is how avoidable incidents happen.
Where a stay is being used as a trial for a longer-term arrangement, say so early. It changes what we watch for and what we write down, and it gives you something concrete to take to your next plan meeting rather than an impression. Give us as much notice as you reasonably can, particularly for school holidays, when demand across the sector is highest.
Common questions
How long can a Short Term Accommodation stay be?
Up to 14 days at a time. Stays can be a single night, a weekend, or a fortnight, with 24/7 support throughout.
Is STA the same thing as respite?
Respite is one of the reasons people use STA, but they are not the same word for the same thing. STA is the NDIS funding term for a short stay with support; respite describes the purpose - giving a carer a break. A stay can be both at once, and it can also be about the participant trying something new rather than about the carer at all.
How is STA funded?
STA is generally funded from core supports, and plans usually specify how much is available over the year. Your plan or support coordinator will confirm the amount - we will check it with you before booking rather than after.
Can you support someone with high intensity needs during a stay?
Yes. Supports range from standard assistance through to high intensity care, delivered by trained teams with registered nurse oversight. Tell us what is involved when you enquire so we can staff the stay properly rather than discovering it on arrival.
Can STA help with moving into a longer-term arrangement?
It often does. A short stay can be a sensible way to test whether a living arrangement suits someone before committing, and it can support transitions from out-of-home care or another arrangement into something more stable.