This 47-page report is the result of a collaboration in 2001 of Casey Family Programs, the Child Welfare League of America, and the ARCH National Respite for Families with Children.
The following recommendations are offered as next steps in building a responsive and workable system of respite care:
- Address the concerns that families have regarding agencies and providers.
- Develop and promulgate best practice standards of respite and crisis care services.
- Conduct research on existing respite programs that can inform cost-benefit analyses for using respite to prevent child abuse and neglect, retain foster and kinship care homes, support the adoption of children with special needs, and prevent adoption dissolution.
- Educate families, child welfare workers, public and private agencies, the general public, and legislators about the benefits of respite for resource families and as a component in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
- Support state and national efforts to legislate the creation and maintenance of lifespan respite networks.