Our Vision:

A community where families are strong and all children belong.

Our Mission:

FRS works in partnership with families who have children with disabilities. We coordinate support and provide short breaks that strengthen families and contribute to children having meaningful lives in their community.

We Believe:

  • In the importance of the family and respite's capability to strengthen both the family and the child
  • The family is an equal partner in the identification and delivery of respite services for their child
  • That each child has gifts, can contribute to and is a valued member of the community.
  • That respite strengthens both the family and the child.
  • In meeting a family's needs on an individual basis through the provision of responsive and flexible respite services.
  • That the use and involvement of caring community people creates positive relationships and opportunities that enhance the child's community participation.

Short Break (Respite) Care:

Many families who have children with disabilities require support because of the extra demands they face as parents. Respite care is a time when someone else cares for the child to give the family a short break. Family Respite Services provides this service by assisting families to recruit a trained caregiver. This short break can also be a time for the child with a disability to participate in community activities and make new friends. It is a time when the parents can spend time with their other children, rest, or catch up on errands.

Respite/short break care is a vital service for families, helping to strengthen and support the family so that they can continue to care for their child at home. Respite support services are developed to enhance the quality of life for children with developmental and/or physical disabilities while also focusing on their participation in the community. We believe that all children belong in our community.

Plans are developed to suit each family and child. FRS offers services in flexible ways. Respite services can be offered in the home of the family, the home of a respite provider or in a staffed home managed by FRS. FRS also is active in providing support to children in a variety of community recreation based programs. Respite providers are carefully screened for our matching tool called respiteservices.com. Parents/caregivers are able to select the person that best meets the needs of their child and family, considering a number of factors such as education, skills, experience, interests and availability. Families provide the information for the caregivers about the particular needs of their child and develop a contract for the services they require. Families pay for this support through funds they receive from Special Services at Home, ACSD, respite funding or enhanced respite funding for medically fragile.

Who Do We Serve?

Family Respite Services works with families in Windsor/Essex County who are caring for individuals under the age of 18 who have intellectual, physical, or mental health challenges.

What Services Do We Provide?

We work with families to develop an individualized, flexible plan for respite, to establish in home or out of home respite through the use of volunteers, paid in home respite providers and associate families. We also provide information about community respite options such as Special Services at Home (SSAH) and Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD).