Female nurse wearing scrubs playing with her son at home after work

What Is Respite Care For Child Care?

Being a parent has its fair share of stresses. If your child has a developmental disability, mental health challenges, or complex medical care needs, you may be under even more stress. You’ve had to deal with challenges like:

  • Managing complicated care routines
  • Navigating school and the healthcare system
  • Planning for the unexpected

Over time, you may become so overwhelmed that you feel like you’ve reached your limit (or have passed it). At Trualta, we’re here to help you navigate caregiver stress and avoid burnout. Check if you have free access to our caregiver education and support tools that can help you:

  • Manage caregiving challenges
  • Learn new skills
  • Connect with other caregivers like you 

What Is Respite Care For Child Care?

Breaks can feel like a luxury when you’re a parent or caregiver of a child with special needs, but they’re actually an essential part of caregiving.

Respite care is when another person provides short term care to your child to provide you with temporary relief. This allows you time to get a break from caregiving to do important household tasks, rest, or do activities that help you recharge. 

Contrary to popular belief, a respite care program is different from daycare. While both allow caregivers the time they need to do important daily activities, respite services can: 

  • Last for different lengths of time. For example, hours to days.
  • Happen in different intervals. For example, daily, weekly, or as needed.
  • Be provided in different settings. For example, in the home, the home of another person, a health care facility, a school, or a community-based agency.
  • Be provided by different individuals. For example, family members, friends, respite care workers, or skilled care professionals.

What Does Respite Care Help With? 

 Respite care can offer you and your care recipient numerous benefits, including:

  • Helps caregivers avoid or manage burnout. Many caregivers struggle with knowing when it’s time to access respite. The truth is, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Respite care gives you time to address your needs–whatever those are on that particular day. For example, getting lunch with a friend, going to the dentist, taking a nap, or exercising. 
  • Supports your child’s life experiences. Respite care can offer your child the chance to interact with other adults or children. They also may get the opportunity to engage in fun activities and experiences!
  • Strengthens your family’s bond. Getting a break from caregiving responsibility can help reduce stress in the household. It can also give you more time to spend with other family members or your spouse.
  • Enables your child to stay at home. Breaks can help caregivers feel a sense of freedom, stability, and support. This can help daily care feel more sustainable, supporting children to stay at home and out of skilled nursing facilities.
  • Gives your child access to trained respite care providers. Respite workers may be trained to provide care for certain populations. Additionally, if your child has complex care needs, you may be able to find skilled respite providers who are trained to support your child. Your state may differentiate between respite and “skilled respite”, which is provided by health care professionals like registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or licensed nursing assistants.
A woman wearing red medical scrubs and glasses stands in a kitchen holding a white mug and a piece of bread while smiling at a young boy. The boy, wearing a striped shirt, looks up at her. The kitchen has a white countertop, a black sink faucet, and wooden shelves with kitchen utensils and containers.

What Should I Know About Respite Care?

There are a few important points to consider when deciding on the right respite care program for you and your child. The choices available to you can depend on factors like: 

  • Cost. Some respite providers include volunteers, friends, or family. Others may be a paid care service provided by professional or self-directed caregivers. Financial support may be available from private insurance or military benefits, Medicaid waivers, your state’s lifespan respite care program, or private organizations like Easterseals.
  • Location accessibility. If you’re not receiving respite care in your home, location can play a role in your decision. Certain options may be easier to access than others. Some locations may not offer medical transportation services.
  • Your child’s needs. Look for respite programs that have staff trained to work with children, or who have experience working with children with your child’s diagnosis, developmental disability, or mental health challenges. Your child’s preferences can also play a big role in the respite program you choose. 
  • Your needs as a caregiver. You might need a few hours off on a regular basis, or a few days off from time to time. 

While all the factors to consider can feel daunting, it’s important to access respite care before you think you need it. It’s much easier to prevent burnout than it is to recover from it.

How Can I Find Respite Care For Child Care?

The truth is that caregivers may face barriers when accessing respite care. They may:

  • Worry about the quality of care being provided. Care routines and preferences may be a well-oiled machine at your home. On top of the adjustment, you may worry about whether your child is receiving quality care from someone trained to meet their needs. It can be hard to trust another agency or individual with your child’s care. 
  • Have limited access. There may not be many respite programs or facilities available in your area, or they may be too costly.
  • Feel guilty. They may feel that using respite means that they can’t care for their child’s needs or can’t cope. 

Here’s what you can do: 

  • Do your research. If your child has complex care needs, look for qualified care providers or respite who have experience and education with your child’s special needs or diagnosis.
  • Explore your options. While formal respite care options may be limited, could a trusted family member or friend become trained to provide respite? Are there volunteer respite providers in your area? You can also chat with your child’s pediatrician, social worker, or other member of their care team to see if they have any recommendations.
  • Interview candidates. Before going into interviews, have a list of “musts” and “nice to haves” so you know what you want. Ask questions about background checks, references, training, qualifications, and licensure (if applicable). Meet in person and observe how they interact with your child. 
  • Be kind to yourself. Do your best to remember that struggling or wanting a break doesn’t mean you’re any less devoted to the child you care for. Taking some of the load off of your caregiving responsibility can help you provide better care. 

Interested in accessing Trualta’s caregiver resources and community of caregivers? Check if you have free access. 

References: 

  1. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/respite-care.html 
  2. https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Doing-Business-with-MDHHS/Forms-and-Applications/A_Family_Guide_to_Respite_139866_7.pdf 
  3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7232777/ 
  4. https://nashp.org/state-medicaid-approaches-to-respite-care-for-children-and-youth-with-chronic-and-complex-needs/ 
  5. https://archrespite.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Lund_TLCRespiteBrochure_2014.pdf 
  6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6202162/ 
  7. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/25081/Respite-services-vital-for-caregivers-of-children?autologincheck=redirected

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