Children and young people

The respite care scheme provides a series of pre-planned, short-term placements of a particular child with the same carer. The length and timing of the arrangements can vary according to the specific needs of the child and their family.

The scheme provides day care for children up to 14 years old, which can involve providing respite for just mornings, afternoons, after school or at times over the weekend. Where appropriate, respite carers can be asked to have the child for overnight stays. There are instances when respite carers can be asked to provide longer periods of care. This is subject to their availability, approval and providing that it does not exceed a period of four weeks.

The conditions of working within the respite carer scheme mean that the carer can regulate their level of commitment. This can be suited to meet their availability and the circumstances of their own family needs. Some carers find it easier to work with just one or two children, while others enjoy the dynamics and demands of working with a number of children. Some placements can be planned with carers for different times throughout a period of weeks.

Children who need respite care

The respite care scheme has been established for the benefit of children and their families. Children placed within the scheme will have been involved in some family crisis or problem for which they need some support or assistance. This could include a family illness, the parents finding the child’s behaviour very difficult to handle or the parent not being able to cope. Respite care offers a break or a series of breaks that could prevent a family breakdown or the child being placed in foster care.

The true value of the respite carer scheme is that it seeks to maintain a child in their own home and helps to keep families together.

Difficult and disturbed children

All children who are referred to the respite care scheme will have gone through change in their lives by being withdrawn from their own family, if only for a short time. They may have been emotionally disturbed and upset due to the events of a family crisis. Children in respite care could also have had to cope with other moves, maybe with relatives or alternative respite carers. Indeed, there could have been many circumstances in their lives that mean they need sensitive care.

The way in which children react and respond to changes while being introduced into an alternative home will be different. Some can be aggressive and uneasy, others may at first be over polite and willing to please. Others will withdraw into themselves or act as if they haven’t a care in the world. In some circumstances, children can come from very deprived homes and on other occasions, they may have been neglected and not provided with the same level of care that a respite carer would be able to offer.

Respite care provides the family and the child with the opportunity of a break, while at the same time enabling social services to gain more understanding of both the child's and the family’s needs.

Respite carers work very closely with families to help parents overcome the problems they experience.

The work of a respite carer

Respite carers are a group of caring, responsible people who are trained to work with children and families, offering them support, respite, advice and attention. All respite carers:

• work for Medway Council,
• work from their own home,
• prepare reports and assessments,
• provide short-term, emergency placements,
• support first time mothers before and after birth and assist with parenting skills,
• are available at short notice,
• work with children up to 14 years old,
• provide planned summer holiday care.

From a child’s point of view, a respite carer will:

• always treat them as part of the family,
• listen and talk to them,
• discipline them,
• protect them and look after their needs,
• be there for cuddles, reassurance and trust,
• help build continuing relationships with people who are important to them,
• provide them with information,
• work with different children at different times.

Requirements for becoming a respite carer

• commitment,
• flexibility,
• energy,
• tolerance,
• ability to satisfy the requirements of statutory checks and references,
• attendance at monthly support training meetings.

People are not considered suitable if;

• they are over 58 years old,
• they and their partner work full time (unless they wish to do weekend respite work),
• any member of their household has a serious criminal conviction,
• they already do respite or foster work for another agency,
• they are currently waiting to adopt,
• they have a child currently being looked after by a local authority.

Assessment for becoming a respite carer

An initial visit to the home will take place to discuss the respite scheme.

With agreement to continue, the applicant's permission is sought to undertake statutory checks and seek references. These include police, probation, health visitor (where appropriate) and two referees. Applicants are asked to attend a medical with their own doctor, paid for by social services. A health and safety inspection is made on the home and garden.

Subject to satisfactory references and checks, applicants are invited to attend a series of training sessions.

A family assessment is completed after a number of visits to the home.

The completed assessment is submitted to Medway Council's Homefinding Panel. Subject to the Panel’s agreement, the applicant is approved and registered as a Medway Council respite carer. Find out more by using the details below or use the online form.

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