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It is believed that a good number of children in state/agency care are from situations as described above.
When temporary intervention is instigated at an early stage, then the likelihood is that the risk of abuse is substantiality reduced and the family remains as a unit. Since the introduction of this program, the results tend to reflect this reduction.
The service is funded by the state run health authority, mainly due to the fact
that the children from the family receiving respite, have a variety of health
related problems.
Respite provider families are usually experienced; therapeutic trained people a
lot of whom are ex foster parents. The respite day funding is a contracted
payment between the health authority and the respite provider family.
Agencies are contracted by the health authority to provide family assessors to
determine the service needs of the bio family. This is usually in the form of
respite days per year starting at 28 days rising in proportion to the needs
severity and requirements of the family. These respite days can be used at the
discretion of the bio family in agreement with the respite provider. An agency
coordinator introduces the bio family to a respite care provider family and a
contract is then made between the families.
Respite care, or 'time out' can be supplied either in the bio's own home or in
the respite provider's home. This is more often the case as weekend respite
gives the bio family quality time together without the need to provide the
intense care for their child. Because the respite days are not unlimited, most
families use the available days wisely, choosing for example, 2 days per month.
Other usage could be for short extended periods of a week or two when one of
the bio parents may be in hospital or unavailable for other reasons.
Referrals and access to the service can be from self, the family doctor,
hospitals, counselors, psychiatric services etc.
Indications are that, early, low level intervention such as this program may
prove successful in reducing the need to bring children into state care. The
key element being the will and commitment of the bios to succeed and make
progress as a strong united family unit.
All that is required to make this happen is a little help at the required time;
this service provides just that.
It is not seen that a program such as this will ever replace the need for foster care, but as an additional tool to be considered, prior to taking the more drastic step of permanent state care.
Peter Foster
