About Respite Providers

Respite Providers provide a short break for caregivers by spending individual time with their child.  Respite providers are seen as positive role models, community connectors, and an important personal support.  Respite providers often plan various interactive activities outside of the home such as going to the park, art gallery, library, or simply sharing time together.  In this role the focus is on providing the child with an opportunity to participate in the community with social events and activities while enhancing their social skills.  Our goal is to provide a short break (respite) for the family, while at the same time supporting the child to engage in activities that assist them to have a full life.  Respite providers report that they find their work as caregivers to be very fullfilling.

Qualifications

Direct Support/Respite providers are caring and committed individuals.  They are often students at the University or College, but also include seniors, people who want to give back to the community and people who work in professions that allow them to have flexible time to provide this service.  The experience that students gain as a direct support provider assists them as they work towards career goals in fields such as social work, nursing, teaching, child and youth care worker, educational assistants, and a variety of other fields.  Sometimes direct support/respite providers are people that are already known to the child and family through the family's social network or through the child's activities or persons that the family recruits.  Family Respite Service recruits respite providers with a wide range of qualifications, life experiences, ages, and skills.  The match between direct support/respite providers and families is done through a tool that is overseen by FRS called respiteservices.com.  All direct support/respite providers must be screened through FRS to participate and be active on rs.com and be linked with a family.  FRS will meet with the person to complete their application and discuss further their interests, qualifications, suitability and availability.  References and a police clearance are necessary.  The family makes the final choice and engages the direct support/respite provider.  The family provides information about the care of their child. Direct support/Respite providers are paid by the family with approved funding through Family Respite Services.  Direct support/Respite providers are usually self-employed. FRS also supports some families where we hire part time direct support providers as we assist families to use specialized funds that they receive.

Online Course and Information Session

Call us if you are interested in this opportunity.  Someone will review your application and contact you.  We then invite you to participate in an information meeting to provide more details and meet with someone from FRS.  

The Rewards of Being a Direct Support/Respite Provider

FRS has heard from many Direct Support/respite providers that they feel great rewards from their role with the child.  Most feel that they receive as much as they give.  Many respite providers are people who are on their way to a variety of careers, including teaching, social work, nursing, child care, police work etc.  This experience is invaluable to them.

Would you like to make a difference by being involved as a direct support provider with a child in our community?

Family Respite Services uses a system called supportyourway.ca, also known as respiteservices.com to have people interested in providing support to register, complete the required screening and get matched with a family who needs support.  It is a tool that allows people that are interested in providing support and have been screened through Family Respite Services to post their information in a safe manner, without providing your personal information.  Families who need support also post their information in a non-identifying manner.  This process allows direct support providers to see who needs support and contact us, or families to request information to meet you.  Our staff at FRS facilitate this process and get you connected.

If you are interested, you can:

We look forward to meeting you!