[SandyKassia]

Hubby and I really WANT kids! We love them. We work with them in everyday life (he as a school teacher, me as a pediatric physical therapy).

We dream at adopting older kids before we have bio kids...

HOWEVER, we are not READY for kids right now. We just got married 4 months ago. We don't have the house we want to have before start, and I am in a moment in my career where It would be hard to establish routine with kids (total turn in my career... taking boards, starting new job in January, post-graduation).

So... it is no question that we will wait more 2 years before we really get into it.

This being said, I wonder how the whole respite deal works... We are not sure about what can we handle, what ages are the best for us, if we are going to try foster care (which trully scare me) or if we are going through international adoption in Brazil (I am Brazilian).

We live in a wonderful children friendly community. We thought of maybe taking kids some weekends (not all)... Providing some respite for foster parents... Something like: Friday - Sunday... or maybe more during Summer...


How hard is to be licensed as a respite provider? Is it expensive? how does it work? Do we need to go through the whole foster care training and visits and trainings in order to offer respite?

Anyone have any information to give?

thanks so much!!!

[tenderlovingtreasure]

first let me say that i appreciate your decision to adopt and also appreciate you wanting to have something to do with the foster care system!! You will have to become liscensed to do respite. that means you have to do the background checks, fingerprinting, and homestudies. it all is a pain but well worth it.

[Scrapsathome]

I was just recommending to someone tonight that he should get licensed and just provide respite care. It's the same process and requirements to get licensed. For us the only cost going through our county DSS was about $15 each to get the fingerprinting done. If we'd gone to a different county to get them done it would have been even cheaper.

You can be very specific with them. For instance letting them know that you can only take kids on the 2nd and fourth weekend of the month, only girls, only kids in a certain age range, only kids with limited "issues". Of course, they'll still call you about others, but you just have to be firm and only accept placements that fit your family.

Where we live they'd be happy to have people who would just do overnight respite for newborn infants while they find a more permanent place for them.

It's worth the effort. I can't think of anything I've done in recent years that made me feel like I was making so much of a difference in people's lives. It can be frustrating sometimes, but it's worth doing.

Jess

[mama2-8]

Great idea! It is not hard to be a respite provider start by calling local private or state agencies in your area. Foster parents always need a break, trust me. You don't have to have as much as a foster parent so it shouldn't take you as long to get through the process. You can be a great support to the foster community, and children living in care. Thanks for doing your part.
The Journey

[AmahMama]

I did respite for several years before becoming a full fledged fp. When I was working full time - I did weekends or evenings, some states have hourly - where I just went to their home and watched the kids for special occasions etc. As a FP - I LOVE my respite provider!! It helps me immensly and doesn't take as much continued energy for her. She couldn't do the stress involved with perm placements but she always loves ours to death!!!

And it is a great starting point too. Thanks from all of those that you will be giving a short break too!!!!