Respite providers give much needed breaks to treatment foster parents and foster children.
Becoming a respite foster care provider is one way you can see what being a foster parent is like. It’s an excellent way to help children in need, even if you’re not able to be a full-time foster parent.
Respite providers generally provide temporary or short-term care for foster children in their own homes. The length of time can range anywhere between a few hours to a few weeks, depending on the foster family’s situation.
We give the same level of support to respite providers that we give to our foster parents.
Through my year of respite, someone has been there with me the whole time…. There hasn’t been a time where I didn’t have someone to help me or talk to me.
— FW Respite Provider What a Respite Foster Care Provider Does
- Provides a healthy break for foster parents and foster kids to promote routine rest and rejuvenation.
- Takes on the caregiver role for foster kids for a day or more when situations arise for a foster parent (emergencies and/or planned events).
- Spends quality time sharing their hobbies and exploring activities that the children enjoy.
- Gives foster kids another opportunity to form positive adult relationships.
- Helps promote healing in foster children.
How to become a respite foster care provider
To become a respite foster care provider in Wisconsin you must:
- Be 18 years or older and at least 5 years older than the youth you are caring for.
- Complete intake paperwork.
- Complete local, county & state background checks.
- Complete a W-9 form for tax purposes.
- Agree to Family Work’s Respite Care Providers Conduct and Ethics Agreement.
- Have a home/apartment that meets home safety standards.
- Have auto insurance (homeowners/renters insurance is strongly advised).
- Learn more about the respite provider approval process.
Supporting youth in foster care requires the efforts of an entire community. Respite providers are essential resources for our families!
Read our post: 5 Reasons To Become A Respite Care Provider
