Pay for Respite

About this recommendation

Respite care gives foster parents a break, whether for date night or a trip out of state where a child is not allowed to tag along. Paying for respite, whether by providing funds or a respite provider, helps foster parents to avoid burnout and potentially support youth with higher levels of need.

How to do this

• Pay for respite for caregivers, including unlicensed caregivers. This can be a literal stipend, or you can provide paid respite by paying other respite homes a maintenance payment to provide respite.
• Normalize taking respite by proactively paying for it on a regular basis, instead of requiring families to apply for it.
• Continue to pay foster parents their normal rate on days they use respite.

Anticipated costs and benefits

Who's doing this

4 of 54 states and territories have implemented this recommendation.

• Colorado provides $0.66 per day for respite on top of foster care maintenance payments. Foster parents can use it towards any approved babysitter.
• Maryland provides 7 paid respite days per year, which must be used at an approved respite provider. Both families get paid for those 7 days.
• Washington provides 2 paid respite days per month.
• Frederick County, MD can arrange for paid respite for unlicensed kinship caregivers.
• Fairfax County, VA provides respite grants to licensed caregivers, aimed at keeping siblings together and supporting foster home retention.