Everyone needs a break. Especially foster parents.
Respite & Alternative Care
Respite Care
Imagine having a child in your home whose trauma causes behaviors so challenging that you are not sure you can keep going. This is the real, hard truth of foster care unfortunately for both those kids and the foster families caring for them. We are building up an army of Respite Care providers who can help take these kiddos in for a weekend to give our foster parents a much needed respite from the front lines. Some important things to know:
Usually respite is fun for the kids and even those with challenging behaviors tend to do well for a weekend in a respite home (we call this a honeymoon phase)
Respite is considered keeping the kids for over 72 hours in your home and can be up to 2 weeks, depending on the need and the arrangements
The same licensing qualifications, classes, and home study are required for respite providers as for foster parents.
While the training is more extensive to become a Respite Care provider, it is a HUGE piece of our Wraparound Care. We step in to offer direct help to our frontline soldiers by offering them respite as they battle for safety and stability for their foster child.
Alternative Care
A foster parent can’t just call up a sitter when they need a break. Alternative Care providers are volunteers qualified to provide short-term childcare for foster parents. What a need! Imagine a parent needing childcare so he/she can attend a meeting, training, or doctor’s appointment… or how about just to get a short, but much needed, break! There are two types of Alternative Care Providers:
BABYSITTER
As a Babysitter, you are able to provide care for children in foster care for up to 8 hours. A babysitter must be 18 years of age or older and complete the certification and training process through The Riverside Project prior to providing care.
OVERNIGHT CARE PROVIDER
As an Overnight Care Provider, you are able to provide care for children in foster care for up to 72 hours. Overnight Care Providers must be 21 years of age or older and complete the certification and training process through The Riverside Project prior to providing care.
We have partnered with The Riverside Project to complete the training and certification process to ensure that you are certified to care for children in foster care. The following are the requirements for those who are interested in becoming a Babysitter or an Overnight Care Provider:
CPR/First Aid Training*
Basic TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) Training
Background Check w/Social Security Card
Confidentiality Form
Driver's License w/Auto Liability Insurance
Attend a Sanctuary Alternative Care
Provider Orientation*
*This will be done once you have completed The Riverside Project training requirementsAdditional Trainings as needed
If you are interested to taking the next step in supporting our foster families, click the button below that will take you to The Riverside Project Certification Process.
A couple tips to complete the interest form:
Write “Sanctuary Families” if you do not have a specific family in mind
Be sure to choose Sanctuary Foster Care Services - Clear Lake or Sanctuary Foster Care Services - Fort Bend from the Agency dropdown menu.
CPR/First Aid Training: The Riverside Project provides the required CPR/First Aid training that is located in Central Houston or North Houston. If you don’t want to go to those locations, you can take other CPR/First Aid alternatives (located at the top of our Foster Parent Training Calendar) and send Riverside Project your card.
Building up an army of certified volunteers to help provide respite (rest) for foster families, be it babysitting, meals, or other services.
