Post by daystardreams on Jul 16, 2015 12:28:36 GMT -5
Hi guys! I intro'd a while ago and have been lurking and love titting ever since. We weren't planning on diving into foster care for several more months. However, today a worker called me to let me know that the foster care training starts in September and that they were starting a new program that if you offer to do respite care, you can get your license much faster (or at least that's the way I understood it?) something about the respite process is much quicker and many of the things we'll need for our license will be done already with the respite license.
I understand respite care is basically a several day break for full time foster parents but I have so so many questions! I'm also panicking because she said she'd call back next week after I have time to talk to my husband and if we're interested, she said she would come out and see us around the end of the month. That's only two weeks away! I'm not ready!
I need to know everything about respite care. Also will she be looking at the house when she comes? Our spare bedroom isn't set up right now...I'm nervous.
Also how do you do respite care when both of you work? How do you set up for respite care...they can be any age! I'm sure they'll bring their own supplies but the beds! I'm so nervous but also excited to get started. Somebody, hold me?!
Post by milehighmama on Jul 16, 2015 13:56:22 GMT -5
Respite care can be anything from a couple of hours to a couple of days. When we use respite we try to limit it to 24 hours. Respite providers need to be certified and licensed in my state. My guess is they have a shortage of families willing to do respite so this is an incentive to get licensed faster.
Respite CareJul 16, 2015 14:53:43 GMT -5via mobile
Post by redandblue on Jul 16, 2015 14:53:43 GMT -5
I don't have concrete experience to offer, but wanted to say good luck! I also wanted to say that your first meeting may be just that, for the agency to get to know you, and for you to ask questions. I doubt they will be inspecting your home. In our experience, our first visit was just a conversation. Our SW didn't ask to see the whole house, but we did offer her a tour. We had a couple of questions on what might need to be a priority and what isn't, so it was helpful. Our extra room was basically looking like a crafters hoarder heaven! So I wouldn't worry too much. IMO I would say go for it. Any opportunity to speed up the process can't be bad. Good luck with your decision!
Me: 39 DH: 39 DS1 born Sept 1999 Married Nov 2010 TTC 2010 2011 BFP ended in ectopic RE Aug 2014. Unexplained infertility Sept 2014-Dec 2014 fermera/IUI/TI BFN's
August 16, 2015 baby Boy M is born and our hearts melt!
I don't know much about respite care specifically, but MH and I are getting licensed for foster care. For our first home visit from our caseworker, she did ask to see the whole house. I think they want to check that the home is "license-able" before you started with the whole process... so that you don't spend hours filling out paperwork only to find out that your home doesn't have enough exits or the kid bedrooms aren't large enough to meet your state's requirements, etc. But I wouldn't stress too much about it! Your home definitely doesn't need to be spotless or completely ready for children yet!
I would assume that you can specify your availability for respite care, though the process probably depends on your state/agency. If you both work, then you can say that you're only available for respite on weekends and in the evening.
Post by daystardreams on Jul 16, 2015 16:35:39 GMT -5
Thank you guys. I feel much better now that I have talked to DH and heard some about respite. I didn't know that respite could be for only a few hours, that makes more sense to me!
We used respite care twice: once when we went out of state for a funeral for a few days, and then when I had a vacation and surgery scheduled back-to-back (the girls were supposed to have gone home by then, but the judge threw us a curve.)
I've never actually done respite though, so I don't know from that angle.
My husband and I have been foster parents for four years and we have been on Both sides of respite care. We used it for our kids once when we vacationed out of state and once when my bio daughter was in the hospital. We have also kept a few different kids for respite for 3 to 5 days. My opinion is that it is easy compared to foster care. The kids alead gave clothes, they gave been prepared for what to expect are not newly removed from parents etc.
We have also done emergency care but I am not sure if that qualifies as respite. Where we have the kids for 1 to 2 days until a long term foster home is located. That is hard on me. The first days are always hectic getting everyone settled but when you know they are not staying it is hard. To know what to provide, how not to bond etc. We had two say goodbye to two brothers last week after only two days and they broke my heart.
As far as how to set up. I would just set up for the age you want to foster and you can choose to provide respite for the same group.
Hi! I don't post here much, because we haven't begun fostering yet, but we have provided respite a few times. In our state they could be with us for a few hours up to 2 weeks. We only provide respite for the age we are going to be fostering (babies). We've had experiences where the foster parents gave us detailed instructions and schedules and experiences where we got a baby and a diaper bag .
For our first visit the social worker did a walk through just to tell us things we needed to work on (cabinet locks, medicine, chemicals, etc.) no pressure or judgement, just letting us know where to start and telling us what is and is not required for the home.
Post by twocents6708 on Jul 18, 2015 7:43:16 GMT -5
That's super exciting! It's funny, because I just came over here to look for info because we are in the same boat except we are doing respite care first before considering full time fostering. I used to be a licensing worker and worked with foster parents and kids regularly...but I still have similar anxieties. We can set a limit of age/gender range for respite here but it is still more open since you may have a different combo of kids anytime. Respite for us can be anywhere from 6-48 hours regularly or for up to. 5-6 days if certain circumstances warrant it. For us, the household requirements are the same for respite vs foster. A far as bed space, that's what has me overwhelmed. We have a 3 yr old DD so we are planning on a bunk bed in her room, spare full size bed in guest room, and a pack and play or the crib in our room for infants.
I really think that respite care is a good way to ease into fostering. We are doing it since DD has been an only child so far and DH doesn't have the background ion child welfare that I do. I think this will be a good way to transition our family towards foster/ adopt. Also, in some circumstances, I have seen full time placements result from respite care because the respite providers already have a relationship with the kids if they have been regular respite providers and there is a need for a placement change or goal change with the foster parents.
Post by shemarie82 on Jul 20, 2015 11:25:21 GMT -5
I am a little late to the party, but we are currently doing respite care and have been for about a month now. In our case, we have intentions of taking in these boys once we receive our license. In order to be considered for respite, we had to fill out a substitute care giver form, which is the same as what our families had to do in order to watch the kids when they come into care. It is basically signing off that there are no background check issues and such.
We had them overnight initially as the foster parents were traveling, yesterday so the family could go to the beach, and will have them at the end of the month as the parents will be going out of state.
It is our best case scenario in that it gives us a chance to really know what we are getting into. Plus, we have been able to form an attachment with the twins.
I was very apprehensive about doing respite, but I think that even if we do not get these boys, it is something that we would be open to in the future.
For my county, they will just work down the list of potential helpers until they find someone willing to do care. So, we would never have to feel bad if we had something going on that day/weekend, they would just move on to the next place.
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