SUPPORTING PARENTS AND STRENGTHENING FAMILIES

Kinark's Family Respite Programs help parents recharge their batteries and give children and youth a special friend and mentor to lean on.

Parents of children and youth with serious social, emotional and behavioural problems have long identified respite as one of their key needs and critical to their continued parenting. Traditional support through relatives, neighbors and babysitters is often unavailable to these families. As a result, many families of children with mental health problems experience social isolation and few caregiver breaks, leaving parents exhausted and under tremendous strain. Respite has been clinically demonstrated to reduce family stress, support family stability and minimize the need for costly out-of-home placements (e.g. foster care or residential treatment).

Kinark Child and Family Services is one of the only organizations in Ontario to offer respite services geared specifically to families of children and youth with mental health problems. The Family Respite Programs serve children and youth with a variety of challenges - those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Anxiety, Depression or Autism Spectrum Disorder, and children and youth who have been physically or sexually abused, suffered from neglect, or been involved in serious parent-child conflict. Kinark's Family Respite Programs include Special Friends (where a child/youth is matched with a trained adult volunteer who serves as a mentor and role model), Host Families (like Special Friends, these families develop close, caring relationships with a child or youth) and Family Respite Weekends (a summer or winter camp experience at the Kinark Outdoor Centre providing recreational activities for families of children with special needs including time for parents to connect with other parents and "recharge their batteries").

How can you make a difference?

$1,700 matches a child or youth with a Special Friend or Host Family for a full year to enjoy social-recreational experiences that reinforce social skills, improve behaviour, build self-esteem and enhance their ability to form trusting relationships. That works out to less than $17 per hour (vs. $66 per hour for counseling with a Family Service Worker).

$900 enables a family of a children with autism or significant mental health issues to participate in a respite long-weekend and enjoy a structured and highly supported program of recreational activities and a chance to connect with other families at the Kinark Outdoor Centre (all activities, special programs, one-on-one support for children, accommodations and meals are included).

If you would like to make a gift to support Family Respite Programs, please click here to make a donation.