Respite services for families of kids with special needs

Respite services provide temporary relief to families of children and youth with special needs. While parents get a well-deserved break, young people with special needs have the opportunity to engage with peers and adults outside of their family in meaningful activities.

The Ministry of Children and Youth Services provides the following respite programs to eligible families of children and youth with special needs:

• The Out-of-Home Respite Program is for families of children with multiple special needs who require the greatest amount of support. These families can receive up to seven days of respite per year in a location other than their own home. Locations include recreation centres, group homes, respite facilities, schools and camps.
• The Enhanced Respite Program is for families caring for a medically fragile and/or technologically dependent child living at home, whose care requires ongoing, frequent and time-consuming intervention, 24 hours a day. Families receive up to $3,500 per year, per child to purchase either in-home or out-of-home respite services.
• The Autism Spectrum Disorders Respite Services Initiative provides a range of specialized respite services to families caring for children and youth with autism. Families get relief while their children engage in meaningful activities that help develop new skills and relationships. One component of this program is the opportunity for children and youth with autism to attend seasonal camps. This year, more than 500 kids with autism across the province enjoyed March Break camps.
• More than 800 children and youth with autism were able to go to summer camps this year. Families were reimbursed for hiring one-to-one support workers and the ministry funded 54 day and overnight camps that offered swimming, cooking, crafts and weekly community outings.
• www.respiteservices.com is a website operated by the Geneva Centre for Autism that provides information about agencies and organizations that offer respite services in Ontario.  Supported by the Ontario government, the website helps families easily access respite services wherever they live.

In addition, the Ministry of Community and Social Services funds services for children and youth with developmental disabilities and their families, including respite care. Through the Special Services at Home Program and the Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program, families receive money to purchase various services, including respite care.

Additional Information:

• No additional news.