2024–2025 Services delivered: In- and Out-of-Home Respite services

Component: Respite Services

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017

Service description

Respite services support families of children and youth with special needs by providing breaks from caregiving and/or support children and youth with special needs by providing opportunities for the child/youth to engage in meaningful activities outside of the home.

People served

The In- and Out-of-Home Respite programs provide relief to families of children/youth with social, emotional, behavioural and/or mental health needs.

Program/service features

The In- and Out-of-Home Respite program and the Out-of-Home Respite program provide respite care to help children with special needs (up to age 18) who live at home. The programs also support the development of a personal Plan of Care based on the principles of family- and child-centred planning, self-determination, and choice and to provide services that are reflective of this plan.

The In- and Out-of-Home Respite program provides

• in-home respite, where a respite provider goes to a family’s home to provide care for the child or youth
• out-of-home respite, where a child is placed temporarily in a residential program or group setting

Specific service provided

There are two components to this program

• in- and out-of-home respite for children and youth with social, emotional, behavioural and/or mental health needs
• out-of-home respite

The Out-of-Home Respite program provides

• temporary respite for the primary caregiver(s), in a setting other than the family home
• safe and secure settings
• appropriate equipment (where required)
• appropriate professional staff (where required)
• planned respite
• day or overnight
• age and disability appropriate support

The Out-of-Home Respite program serves those with the "highest needs", or those who meet the following criteria

• living at home with their biological or adoptive family
• medically fragile/ technologically dependent children, who require 24-hour observation and or treatment
• have one or more disability related needs resulting from a developmental disability and/or a physical disability, that require support for participation in activities of daily living, school, and play
• at least one of the following

• without planned "out of home" respite support to their families, the child would require a long-term residential placement
• the child’s family is at potential risk of breakdown unless regular, planned out of home respite is provided
• the child would be at serious and imminent risk of harm to him/herself or others unless planned out of home respite is provided

Children and youth with behavioural, emotional or other mental health related needs are eligible for the Out-of-Home Respite program if they meet the above cited criteria.

In the In-Home Respite Program, the provider goes to a family’s home to provide care for the child/youth.

In addition, respite services will be based on individualized planning and goal setting.

• Each child/youth will have a current Plan of Care (POC) that reflects an assessment of the child’s/youth’s needs and goals. The POC will identify the specific services/ supports received by the child/youth, the expected outcomes and be based on the principles of family- and child-centred planning, self- determination, and choice

Program goals

The In- and Out-of-Home Respite Program goals are

• to provide services and supports on a temporary basis for the purpose of providing caregiver relief
• to promote family functioning and child and youth health, to avert or delay crises and to reduce the need for longer term out of home placement

Ministry expectations

Services are child and family-centred and support the diverse needs of families in a way that is culturally safe, promotes equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression.

Services will be

• reflective and responsive to children, families and communities’ strengths and needs
• accountable to children, families, and communities
• sensitive to the social, linguistic, and cultural diversity of families and Indigenous communities
• staffed by individuals with the appropriate range of skills and abilities necessary to respond effectively to the needs of children and families
• based on the child/youth’s assessed needs, preferences and available individual, agency, community, and contracted ministry resources

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final period. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.