Article: Things to Remember About Respite

Vol. 4, No. 1 • Fall 1999

Things to Remember about Respite

Formal respite care is not baby-sitting. Many respite care providers are trained to care for foster children and children with special needs.

If you have concerns about whether respite providers are prepared to care for your foster children, ask about their training and experience.

Prepare foster children carefully. Without proper preparation, staying with a new family can be traumatic for any child, especially one who has already experienced multiple placements

Encourage the agency providing respite to match you, your child, and the respite provider carefully. A face-to-face meeting beforehand is strongly encouraged.
Enjoy the respite period! Do what you can to put worry out of your mind and to see this time to �recharge your batteries� as a critical part of your job as a foster parent.