*I know I’ve complained about my agency not emailing me back. I’m happy to say there was a miscommunication on both our parts, and it was rectified quickly. 

For our agency, here’s what is required for people who want to do respite care. Respite is short term, sometimes emergency care, and also babysitting for licensed foster parents who need a break. In order to get a license to provide respite care, we must (things I’ve completed are struck through below):

  • Fill out applications and give three references
  • Be fingerprinted
  • Be background checked, both my husband and I, and anyone over the age of 14 in our house
  • Provide copies of driver licenses or birth certificates and social security cards for everyone over 14
  • Have a current CPR class
  • The entire family needs to be TB tested
  • Have a health department and fire inspection of our home
  • Take Emergency Behavior Intervention Training, or EBIT
  • Take a medication class

In oder to be completely licensed, we would need to also:

  • attend about another six trainings
  • complete a home study
  • fill out an application to be a foster home (these are VERY lengthy)

I’m looking forward to helping out my friends and some other families in our agency who are in need of backup care for their foster kids. This is a great way for my family to give back, without being completely immersed in the world of caseworkers, birth parent visits, and the like. Hopefully, we will be completely done with this process and ready by the end of March. I know how slow all this stuff works, but it’s a good goal!