What Is Respite Care?

A Simple Way to Support Children and Caregivers

Short-term care with a long-term impact for Kansas youth and families.

Every parent needs a break. Some can call a babysitter or rely on family, but for many foster parents, relatives and kinship caregivers, that may not be an option. That’s where respite care providers comes in.

Respite care is short-term care, often just for an evening, a weekend or overnight, that gives caregivers a chance to rest, recharge and handle life’s demands while knowing the children and teens in their care are safe and supported.

Right now, Kansas has a critical shortage of respite care providers, especially for sibling groups and older youth (ages 13-18). That’s why your help matters.

When you provide respite care, you’re not just “watching kids.” You’re giving children in foster care a chance to connect, play and thrive while offering their caregivers the gift of time to breathe and reset.

Why Respite Care Matters

• For a child or teen: Respite care offers fun, stability and another caring adult in their life.
• For foster parents or kinship caregivers: It helps prevent burnout, allows time for caregivers to recharge and keeps relationships healthy.
• For you: It’s a powerful way to make a difference… even if you can’t provide long-term care for youth in foster care.

Who Can Be a Respite Care Provider?

To become a respite care provider in Kansas, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Any relationship status, whether single, married or cohabitating
• No criminal or child abuse/neglect record
• Be able to meet basic income guidelines
• A safe home environment with available space to accommodate a child or teen
• Successful completion of all training requirements
• Participate in the home assessment/evaluation process
• Have a phone and reliable transportation

We’re looking for people who are:

• Nurturing and dependable
• Team players
• Positive role models with healthy parenting skills
• Ready to help children through emotional or behavioral challenges

The Approval Process to Become a Respite Care Provider

Becoming a respite provider is easier than you think:

1. Free training: KVC Kansas provides this at no cost.

2. Support every step of the way: Our training and licensing team helps with paperwork and prepares you for success.

3. Safety checks: Background checks, fingerprinting, and a home study are required for approval.

How Respite Care Works

• You choose what works for your schedule, whether that’s evenings, weekends, overnights or emergencies.
• Once approved, KVC will connect foster parents and kinship caregivers with you when they need support.
• You’ll then provide care for a child, teen or sibling group so their primary caregiver can take a moment for themselves.
• You’ll also receive a reimbursement to help cover the costs of caring for youth.

Ready to Make a Difference as a Respite Care Provider?

Respite care is a meaningful way to support your community and it can even be a great first step if you’re curious about foster parenting.