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Childcare & Respite Care Services
Quality childcare services enhance child development and provide support for all parents, including those at risk of abusive behavior. Such services may provide counseling, parent education, positive role modeling, emergency respite, and referrals to community services. Childcare providers are increasingly considered sources of family support beyond the direct care of children.
Childcare services are often a formal part of child protective services and intensive family preservation services. Respite care—temporary relief for primary caregivers to reduce stress, support family stability, prevent abuse and neglect, and minimize the need for out-of-home placement—is also a vital support to families with children, including foster, kinship, and adoptive families as well as birth families experiencing challenges.
National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center
Provides comprehensive child care information resources to key stakeholders in States, Territories, and Tribes; early care and school-age professionals; and the general public.
ARCH National Respite Network
Promotes the development of quality respite and crisis care programs. The website offers information on publications, conferences, evaluation initiatives, and national and State respite coalitions.
ChildCare.gov
Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Informs parents, providers, researchers, and policymakers about relevant child care issues such as abuse and neglect, child development, choosing and paying for child care, operating a child care business, and more.
National Respite Locator Service
ARCH National Respite Network
Allows caregivers to search for respite services by State as well as age and medical conditions of the person in need of care.
The Role of Professional Child Care Providers in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect | |
Author(s): | Office on Child Abuse and Neglect Karageorge, Kendall |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 1,729KB) |
Year Published: | 2008 - 111 pages |
This manual provides information on the roles and responsibilities of child care providers in preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect within and outside early childhood programs. It also presents an overview of prevention efforts, reporting laws, caring for maltreated children, and ways to support parents and professionals who work with families. |
Taking a Break: Creating Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Respite in Your Community (PDF - 1940 KB)
North American Council on Adoptable Children, National Foster Parent Association, & the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids (2008)
Helps parent group leaders partner with public agencies to develop respite care programs in their communities, including step-by-step guidelines and sample forms.