Access Compass guide
Emergency respite and crisis planning
When the caring situation becomes unsafe or breaks down, here's how to request urgent support.
Published by Access Compass · How we research and check guides
Who it's for: Parents & carers
Not yet verified Last checked 16 Jul 2026. Review due 15 Aug 2026. Always confirm details with the service before relying on them.
Visual explanations
These diagrams use real text, so the same complete information can be zoomed, selected, read aloud and printed.
Action plan · full text built in
Family crisis plan: prepare now, urgent help, emergency
A three-part printable crisis plan separating preparation, urgent support and emergency action. The headings and lists that follow are the complete text equivalent of this visual.
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Prepare now
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Write one-page essentials
Record communication, medication, health and behaviour needs, calming strategies, risks, safe people, preferred hospital and what must never happen.
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Name backups
List family, social worker or duty team, GP, school, adult transition worker, respite and out-of-hours contacts. Confirm who can step in.
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Urgent help
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Say what has changed
Contact the allocated worker, duty service, GP, NHS 111 or relevant crisis team. Explain what cannot safely continue today and ask for a recorded plan.
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Keep everyone safe while help is arranged
Use the agreed low-arousal plan, reduce demands, secure medication or hazards and bring in a trusted adult where safe.
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Emergency
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Call 999
Use 999 for immediate danger, a life-threatening medical emergency, serious self-harm risk, violence that cannot be safely managed or a missing person at immediate risk.
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Printable and zoomable: this is structured text, not an image.
Step by step
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If there's immediate risk
If a child is in immediate danger, has been left alone or is missing, call 999. Otherwise contact MASH on 0300 126 7000 for advice about safeguarding and urgent support; the same number is used out of hours. Emergency respite or other support is not automatic and depends on the assessment and response by the responsible service.
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What to say
Describe risks, exhaustion, behaviours, injuries, lack of sleep, and why short-term respite is needed to keep your child safe at home.
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What may happen
Social Care may arrange short-term day/overnight support via commissioned short breaks/residential respite while a longer plan is put in place.
Useful links
Source: https://nctrust.co.uk/report-a-concern-or-request-support/