Unsure if full-time Foster Care is the right fit for you? Consider Respite Care
Respite care allows you to take on a softer role in foster parenting while still making a difference in the lives of foster children by functioning as a support for other foster families. As a respite foster parent, you would help provide breaks for other families by hosting their foster children for short-term visits.
In this role, not only would you still get to work with the children directly, but you would also play a vital role in strengthening the efforts of those who work so hard for them.
Respite care might be perfect for you if you are hoping to test the waters of foster care before diving in or if you don’t currently have the time and resources to take on full-time foster care.
With all that goes on in foster family life, the occasional break is good for everyone. For foster families, it is more difficult to find someone to watch the kids when needed because all fill-in caretakers must be licensed. Respite care families help meet this need.
Providing respite to a family benefits all of its members:
- Parents get time for well-deserved rest, time to do fun activities like date nights that keep them energized, and time to take care of tasks ranging anywhere from minor work responsibilities to unexpected emergencies.
- The foster parents’ own children get to enjoy quality time with their parents.
Respite foster care is a crucial service that is just as important and impactful as conventional foster care. Without respite care, many foster parents would not be able to do some of the amazing work that they do.
Respite care empowers others to succeed and has the potential to enrich the lives of everyone involved: the foster parents, their own children, their foster children, and of course, you!
If you would like to know more about respite foster parenting, please contact us today.
