I hear often from people in the community that they want to be a foster parent but they are unfortunately unable to do so due to their work schedule, family obligations or a myriad of other life conflicts. They reach out to me to find different ways they can support youth in foster care and other foster families. My number one suggestion is respite care.

What is Respite Care?

Respite care is short term care for a youth in foster care (a few hours to a few weeks) when their foster parents need a date night, have a family emergency, or need some self-care time to help prevent burnout. You get to provide care around your schedule so your work and home life are not impacted in the same way as providing full time care. You still get the benefits of providing full time care though (bonding with a youth, creating relationships, building skills, and making memories).

The Process

The process is simple and straightforward. We are here to support you on every step of the way!

Step 1: Fill out an application, background check, and youth behavior rating scale (you can find the documents here https://www.maplestaror.org/information-for-applicants/ )

Step 2: Attend pre-service training (36 hours of in person and online training, including CPR/First Aid)

Step 3: Home Study (Maple Star certifier comes to your home to do a home inspection, interview all members of the household, and writes a report)

Step 4: You are certified and can provide respite services!

Questions?

Contact our Foster Care Specialist, Amelia Bambam, at 971-806-6366 (text friendly!) or email at amelia.bambam@pathways.com