Advances in nursing and medical care augmented by developments in pharmaceutical and health technologies have led to an increasing number of children who require complex care at home. Parents are their caregivers.

In an attempt to learn more about this caregiving role and how the parents accessed respite an ethnographic study consisting of 47 participants: 19 mothers; 4 fathers; 7 grandparents, 13 nurses; and 4 social workers was undertaken. One of the key categories that emerged from the data was Fair Play.

Data collection included in-depth interviews, participant observation, and a document review. All of the participants were interviewed using a question guide that resulted in a conversational approach. Participant observation occurred in the homes of the children as well as in respite facilities. Documents such as respite policies and the carers Act were reviewed in detail.