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Taking Care of Your Family

How Families Can Find Emotional Support

Resources from the Center for Children with Special Needs

Each one of us finds support in our own way. Just as every child with special needs is unique, so too is each parent, family member and caregiver.  The Washington State Department of Health, Children with Special Health Care Needs Program funded the Center for Children with Special Needs (CCSN) in Seattle to gather together a number of support resources in hopes of sharing a few different ways that families have accessed and received emotional support.
http://cshcn.org/support-connection/emotional-support-families-resource-list

Parent to Parent Program

Ever wish you could talk to another parent whose child has the same disability as yours? This document describes the Parent to Parent Program, which matches parents in one on one relationships for sharing information, experiences, and emotional and practical support. From the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY).

www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/bp2.pdf

Washington State Family Support Organizations

Find links to statewide Washington family support organizations on the Medical Home Family Support Service Providers Page.

www.medicalhome.org/resources/spd_se_fs.cfm

Respite Care

Parents of young children are frequently tired.  However, it can be even more exhausting to have primary caretaking responsibility for a child or youth with special needs that require intensive or constant attention.  Everyone needs time off, to relax, take a quiet bath, see friends, talk to other family members, go for a walk or read book.  It is hard to be fully present for your child if you never have any time to "recharge your batteries".

Respite care can provide the time off you need.  Respite care is:

• Temporary, short–term care for a person or persons with special needs

• Provides relief to caregivers from the demands of ongoing care for individuals with special needs

• Can be provided in community settings or in a person’s home.

The Respite and Crisis Care Coalition of Washington Respite Resource Guide has information about what respite care is, which Washington State agencies are involved, and what types of services are provided. The resources in the guide focus on King County.  The guide will be updated and expanded in 2006.

www.arcofkingcounty.org/guide/

The Respite and Crisis Care Coalition of Washington is working to develop a respite care system across the lifespan.  For information about activities in your community or to join this effort, contact the Coalition's Mary Jo Magruder at 206/364-4645 x122 or email mjmagruder@arcofkingcounty.org.

For information about respite care in any Washington State county

• National Respite Care Locator
  www.respitelocator.org/index.htm

• The Medical Home Resources by County Pages

Related Resources of Interest

See Recreation Resource page on this website.