What in the world is RESPITE?

For over 20 years I have watched as RESPITE has evolved…however the meaning of the word never changes… TO GRANT A TEMPORARY PERIOD OF RELIEF

THE NEED FOR RESPITE, FOR THOSE WHO ARE CAREGIVERS,WILL NEVER GO AWAY…FAMILIES WILL ALWAYS NEED A PERIOD OF RELIEFHowever today we are going to look at several ways that we as a church, small or large, can provide ways to meet this need… remembering it will always be a need.

AS A VERB!

Church/Community Invited

‣ Volunteers within the church participate

‣ Activities are planned out and a time and date are scheduled

‣ Held at church campus

‣ Parents drop off kids for 4 hours of care with or without a fee for care

‣ Siblings attend

‣

Respite

Freestanding Event

Evaluate the details after the event

1. Parents in your community get a break for 4 hours2. Church volunteers experience serving families with special needs kids3.The church is recognized within the community as a welcoming place

4.____________________________5. ____________________________

Respite Freestanding event:

Respite

Silo with No Inclusion

After the 1st time it’s

expected

Volunteers begin to burn out Families

network so event grows

What was once offered as relief

becomes #1 Chore for YOU!

Mom’s Pampering Day1. Invite mom’s who attend your church who have kids with special needs2. Find a person in your church with a skill to share with moms (we had a Mary Kay Consultant come and do makeovers and provided a brunch/mom’s brought food to share

3. We provided the care team to keep kids and siblings from 10am – 2pm so Mom’s could interact and it was during the summer when they had more flexibility

4. Did something very similar on a Wednesday evening and provided dinner, makeovers, small gifts for moms and they could invite a guest

5. Because it was a Wednesday night, programming was provided for siblings and kids with special needs … making it shorter night 6:00pm – 8:30pm

Parent Connection and Care

Both met the goal to reach mom’s

Both gave mom’s time to connect and LAUGH

Provided care to the children that was safe and

planned

Gave opportunities for mom’s to invite other

guests and therefore grow the ministry for Sundays

PHOTO / IMAGE

Evaluate the details after the event

1.Cost effective? Yes, we used space in Kids Venue that was already decorated for the Summer Sessions

2.Moms left feeling encouraged and inspired3.Siblings were cared for and made connections with ministry and new friends so that when they attend other activities in the church, now they have that relationship

4.Now we have some “bridges” so we can invite moms to women's events

Parent Connection with Care

Married Couples Date Night1. Our church offers a “Date Night” usually once a month 2.It’s a calendared event on the website/announced in parents Bible Study groups3.There is childcare for Preschoolers, Children 1st – 5th grade and Special Needs Care4.Parents are given registration link5.There is a fee, however, we wave the fee for families with special needs kids6. Parents have 4 hours of childcare once a month and it’s “piggybacked” with other ministry areas

7.Parents then have the opportunity to attend Small Group Bible study gatherings that evening or plan a date night with other couples they have met in those small groups

8. We are working side by side providing a themed evening and we didn’t have to PLAN… JUST PARTICIPATE

“Piggybacking” on a church event (my favorite)

Evaluate the details after the event

1.Everyone wins – your class or ministry no matter the size gets buy in from your church because you have blended with other ministry areas

2. The cost is minimal3.Theme was planned by other ministry area, you just participated and enriched your area

4.Parents experienced INCLUSION5.Siblings met other kids in your church’s kids ministry6.________?_______? ___________________? ________________

Piggybacking Respite Event

From my experience

‣ Does the YMCA or other community services host such an event? (resource) ‣ It’s always a win when we partner with other ministry areas in our church… Children’s, Preschool, Young Married Couples, Singles, Pastoral care, Next Gen, Culinary, College, Sr. Adults, prayer group…they can all assist and you can be plugged in with them as well… think outside your box! ‣Cost… is it in your budget? Who supports the cost? Can you get a grant?‣Volunteers: do you have enough? Are they too overworked already? ‣DOES THIS BRING A FAMILY CLOSER TO A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST?

Respite

Wrapping it up