Respite foster care is a program that allows a foster family or parent to take in a foster child temporarily for a short period. It gives the primary foster parents a break. Typically, people seek respite care to avoid caregiver burnout, take vacations where they are unable to take the children with them, or face unexpected travel requirements, among other reasons.
Becoming a respite care provider is a great option for individuals who wish to foster but are uncertain if it’s a good fit for them. Additionally, people who want to give back to the community or change a child’s life should consider being a provider.
To learn how to become a respite foster care provider and understand more about how this program benefits foster parents and kids, read on for more information and support.
What Is Respite Foster Care?
Respite care for foster care is what primary foster parents use when they need a break to care for themselves and energize their spirits. Foster parents work hard to provide a safe and nurturing environment to create a positive impact on a child’s life, so they deserve a break when they need it. This program can offer them a chance to rejuvenate and prevent caregiver burnout.
In some states, respite care is also available for biological parents, especially for children with special needs or complex medical conditions. However, in California, it’s typically only an option for foster parents. There are thousands of children in California’s foster care system, and many of them have been victims of parental neglect, exploitation, and abuse. Often, foster parents care for multiple kids of various backgrounds, and they are eligible for respite care, especially when it becomes overwhelming.
Why Respite Foster Care Is Important
Some parents can call a babysitter when they need some personal time or have an emergency to attend to. Foster parents often don’t have this option. Although babysitters may be used for emergencies and for less than 24 hours, if the same babysitter is used regularly or frequently, they must be fingerprinted. This means that the neighbor or the relative who would generally come over to take care of children under normal circumstances cannot do so in foster care unless they are fingerprinted.
There are over 60,000 kids in the California foster care system. More than half of those under 5 have a developmental delay, and around 33% have chronic health conditions. Respite care is often the only option for foster parents.
Here are some potential situations where foster parents may call in respite care:
- Foster parents are ill and unable to care for the child.
- Life challenges prevent the parents from providing the child with attention and care.
- The caregiver needs a break to avoid burnout.
- Foster families want to travel out of the state, but for legal reasons, the foster children are prohibited from leaving the state.
Respite care for foster care allows foster parents to take a break for a few hours, a weekend, or a slightly longer time frame. Sometimes, foster parents may feel that fostering is affecting their relationship, and respite care gives them a break to focus on strengthening their connection.
Kids can also benefit from respite care for foster families. Studies show that respite care offers kids the chance to be in novel surroundings and engage in new hobbies, activities, and skills. Being in the presence of another healthy home environment also strengthens the child’s development and makes them feel safe. For children who are victims of neglect, respite foster care helps kids build trust in foster parents, knowing that they will come back after the short break.
How Respite Care Works
Respite care allows foster parents to take a timeout from their caregiving duties. They can have the respite caregiver come to their home, or they can take the kids to the respite caregiver’s house. Here’s how respite care typically works, according to the California Department of Social Services:
- The foster parents contact their social worker well in advance to advise them on their proposed respite date.
- The social worker finds a respite family, or the foster parents let their social worker know that they have already selected a respite family. Preferably, the foster children will spend the period with a family they’re already comfortable with. If the child has special medical needs, it’s crucial that the respite family meets the respite foster care requirements and is experienced in handling those needs.
- The social worker approves the respite family.
In California, respite care may be approved for up to 14 days per request, and it should not be a routine occurrence. The respite care provider also gets compensated for respite foster care while foster parents get a much-needed break. Typically, payment is a stipend or reimbursement for the nights that the respite family cares for the child.
It’s important to plan the respite well in advance. A rushed respite can be stressful for everyone involved — the respite family, foster kids, parents, and social workers. The foster parents should talk to the social worker and child ahead of time to ensure they are prepared.
What’s the Difference Between Respite Care and Foster Care?
The main distinguishing factor is the period of care. Here are the key differences between respite care and foster care:
| Respite Care | Foster Care |
| Short-term care, lasts a few days | Long-term care, lasts a few months to years |
| Delivers temporary relief for primary foster parents | Provides a long-term home for foster children |
| Care providers meet the same requirements as a foster family | Licensed and trained to be foster parents |
| Care takes place in the respite provider’s home or in the foster home | Care takes place mostly in the foster parents’ home but can be elsewhere |
| Typically requires an onboarding process with the foster family agency | Typically requires extensive training, regulatory oversight, and a lengthy onboarding process |
However, both options still have a positive impact on the lives of foster children and allow parents to gain more experience with caring for kids.
How Do You Become a Respite Foster Parent?
Suppose you’re interested in becoming a foster parent but can’t commit to it for an extended period, or you just want to become a respite foster care provider. In that case, you’ll need the proper qualifications to be a respite care provider in California. You’ll be offering an incredible service to foster parents who need a break to rest. Additionally, you’ll enable foster kids to socialize with others and experience new environments.
General requirements for respite care providers typically include the following:
- A minimum age limit
- A health-and-safety inspection of your home
- A LiveScan background fingerprint check
- Proof of financial stability
- Proof of a recent physical examination
- A private bedroom available for at least one child
- Completion of foster care training
You’ll be required to open your heart and home to children who are being cared for by foster parents. You can also offer your services to a relative or friend who is currently a foster parent. In this case, you may already have a good connection with the kids, and they would benefit from being in a familiar environment. You may care for the kids while their foster parents are away and might be required to update their parents or the social worker regularly.
Your state guidelines will determine whether you qualify. If you don’t, they will inform you of the appropriate steps to take.
Become a Respite Foster Care Parent With Knotts Family Agency
Do you want to become a respite foster care parent? We can help you get qualified and trained to be a respite care provider in California. At Knotts Family Agency, we are fully committed to Parent Delight. We build every policy, interaction, and program with the happiness of the parent and child in mind.
Respite with Knotts Family Agency allows you to care for a child for short periods — generally no more than 14 nights — and receive reimbursement at the same rate as resource parents. With Knotts, you determine how many nights per month you’re available to provide respite care, whether it be three days or 14.
On a case-by-case basis, we also offer additional bonuses or incentives above and beyond the regular nightly rate for respite foster parents who open their homes or agree to accept all respite requests. Once you’ve provided 30 nights of respite with us, we offer up to $400 to show our appreciation for your commitment to quality respite care.
We help foster, adoptive, and respite parents feel better prepared, equipped, and qualified to care for foster children. Some of our incentivized training programs offer stipends, and we provide our parents with resources and rewards like self-care packages so they can care for themselves as well.
If you’re excited about the potential of becoming a foster parent, we can help you achieve your goal and work on your schedule. With a track record of more than 30 years, endless support, and readily available resources, we’re confident that we’re the ideal partner for you.
We’re always in need of homes willing to provide respite care. Reach out to our team to get more information.
