TAKING some time for yourself is an important part of any relationship.

When caring for a child with a disability, however, it can be difficult to achieve, as Mitchell resident Merle Searle knows.

Mrs Searle, along with her husband Dennis, have cared for their son Troy O'Neil almost around the clock since they fostered him at age six.

Now aged 37, Mr O'Neil is able to access a valuable respite service away from home for the first time thanks to new NDIS funding.

"It's amazing because up until now, we would probably have only six nights a year respite, because that was all his funding covered,” Mrs Searle said.

"Now we can get 60.”

Mr O'Neil arrived at Roma's Contessa House, a respite home run by Wellways HealthCall, on Monday morning.

He will stay there for three nights, cared for in a comfortable, home-like environment.

This service is especially valuable for the Searles at the moment, as Mr Searle has faced health problems that have required regular travel to Toowoomba.

Mrs Searle said out-of- home respite care gave her and her husband the chance to spend time alone in their own home, a luxury many took for granted.

"If we had respite before this house, it had to be in our home if it was overnight, which meant we had to leave home,” she said.

"I've never had a couple of nights at home, just to do what I want to do.”

Wellways HealthCall operations manager Ann Priestley said creating an environment similar to home was an essential part of respite care.

"All our houses are a home. It's not a clinical environment, whereas most people think of a nursing home environment,” Mrs Priestley said.

Mrs Priestley said the house was the only facility offering out-of-home respite care in Roma.

Mrs Searle said she felt comfortable leaving her son to stay in such a welcoming environment.

She said it was easy to forget people with disabilities needed variety and entertainment in life just as much as anyone else.

"Sometimes, he must get so bored living with us,” Mrs Searle said.

As an example, she said one of Mr O'Neil's favourite things to do was to visit the pub for a scotch, and spending time in Roma gave him more venues to choose from.

"The NDIS has opened that up on a day-to-day basis,” she said.