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Respite and Crisis Care Programs

Respite care services provide short-term care to children who have disabilities or chronic or terminal illnesses, who are in danger of abuse or neglect, or who have experienced abuse or neglect. For caregivers in stressful situations (they may be parents, foster or adoptive parents, or other relatives or guardians), respite care services provide temporary relief from the ongoing responsibilities of caring for children in the home.

Crisis care is a unique form of respite. It is provided to children, with or without a disability, when the family is in crisis. Crisis care services may be referred to as crisis respite, emergency respite, crisis nursery, crisis stabilization, or shelter care.

In addition to care and supervision, many respite and crisis care providers offer a variety of support services to families, including referrals to other programs, counseling, case management, meals, transportation, social activities, lodging, medications, personal care, and assistance with activities of daily living.

Benefits of Planned and Crisis Respite Care (PDF - 67 KB) FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs (2004) Research on the effectiveness of crisis and planned respite care. Respite in Community-Based Grants for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (PDF - 282 KB) FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs (2006) A discussion of the need for an increase in respite services in community-based grants.

Crisis Nurseries: Important Services in a System of Care for Families and Children
Cole, Wehrmann, Dewar, & Swinford
Children and Youth Services Review, 27(9), 2005
View Abstract
Reports the results of an evaluation of crisis nursery services for five crisis nurseries in Illinois from 2000 to 2003 based on analysis of administrative data reported to the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Crisis Respite: Evaluating Outcomes for Children and Families Receiving Crisis Nursery Services
ARCH National Respite Network (2007)
View Abstract and Document
Examines relationships between crisis respite care and incidents of reported child abuse and days of involuntary out-of-home placements.

Factsheets on Respite and Family Support
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center
An index of 56 factsheets on respite care.

Planned and Crisis Respite for Families With Children: Results of a Collaborative Study (PDF - 282 KB)
Dougherty, Yu, Edgar, Day, & Wade (2002)
Study of respite care services to identify best practices in the field. Conducted by the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center, and the CFP National Center for Resource Family Support.

Promising Practices in Respite Care (PDF - 130 KB)
Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health (2004)
Presentation on the outcomes of a study that examined promising practices in respite care for families with children with serious emotional disorders.

Statewide Lifespan Respite Programs: A Study of 4 State Programs (PDF - 224 KB)
ARCH National Resource Center for Respite and Crisis Care Services (2004)
Activities and outcomes of a federally funded study that investigated Lifespan Respite Programs (LRPs).

	Related Information Gateway Topics Systemwide: Service array - Respite and crisis services

Updated on January 5, 2009