Share the Care
Respite/Alternative Care is an invaluable way to help families and build personal, mentoring relationships with children in foster care. It’s perfect for families who aren’t able to commit to long-term care for foster children, but still want to be a positive force in their lives and a beautiful part of their stories. We cannot overstate how vital this is for our foster parents in preventing fatigue and burnout.
What is the difference between Respite and Alternative Care?
A respite provider provides 1-14 nights of overnight care for foster youth. An alternative care provider provides care during the day, but not overnight, for foster youth.
Requirements for Respite/Alternative Care
All the requirements below are required for Respite and Alternative Care providers who serve youth in the respite provider’s home. If you provide services in the youth’s foster home some of these requirements can be waived. Please contact Patty Jatczak at Focus on Youth for a detailed description of which ones are required for your situation.
- Application for Alternative Care (Childcare) and/or Respite Care Approval (includes 3 personal references)
- Local Crime Checks for all adult household members*
- County Crime Checks for all adult household members*
- BCI&I (State) Fingerprints in state of residency for all adult household members*
- FBI (Federal) Fingerprints for all adult household members*
- Pet form and pet vaccination documentation
- Safety Audit * (Please note: all prescription and non-prescription medications must be locked up.)
- Current copy of Driver’s License and proof of vehicle insurance
- Release of Information and various other agency forms
- Ohio SACWIS Registry Alleged Perpetrator Search – This must be completed immediately as it takes 6 to 8 weeks to get this back from the state. Both the forms below are required.
- Ohio SACWIS Search Request (this form MUST be typed and submitted with 2 forms of identification)
- Instructions for Ohio SACWIS Search Request
- Consent for SACWIS Registry Search (this form must be completed if you wish Focus on Youth to submit the form for you)
- A brief interview to be conducted by the assigned social worker
- Respite providers are required to attend 12 hours of training at Focus on Youth. Click here to view our preplacement training calendar.
* These items must be updated annually for all household members.
Please Note: The Ohio Administrative Code and county contract requirements may change at any time. We will keep you notified of changes, so your eligibility to provide service is always appropriately updated.
