Restoring Balance Reach offre un programme de répit aux parents

Restoring Balance Reach offre un programme de répit aux parents

C'est l'été et les enfants ne vont pas à l'école. Mais même si l'été offre un éventail d'opportunités pour créer des liens familiaux, il peut être exigeant pour le temps et l'énergie d'un parent et produire des tensions et de la fatigue supplémentaires. Lorsque cela se produit, le temps passé en famille ensemble peut passer de joyeux à stressant et finir avec tout le monde se sentant dépassé et incapable de faire face.

Prendre du temps pour soi en tant que parent est un moyen précieux de recharger son énergie physique et émotionnelle.

Pour les familles qui ont des enfants ayant des besoins spéciaux, faire une pause est particulièrement important et essentiel au bien-être de la famille.

Respite has been shown to improve family functioning, improve satisfaction with life, enhance the capacity to cope with stress, and improve attitudes toward the family member with a disability. Respite not only helps to relieve stress, it can also restore the family’s energy and balance, giving them the ability to cope with the sometimes extraordinary demands associated with caring for a child with special needs.

Some families who have children with special needs receive funding for respite directly from the government and are responsible for locating and screening their own caregivers and making payment arrangements. For these families, finding the right person can be challenging but necessary for their peace of mind and their child’s comfort and safety.

Reach Child and Youth Development Society operates a government-funded respite program that can help Delta families who have children with special needs utilize respite care services by finding and screening caregivers, and handling payment arrangements.

Respite can be provided occasionally or on a regular basis and services can last from a few hours to a period extending over several nights. Some families prefer to have out-of-home respite, while others arrange for caregivers to work in the family home or in the community.

Reach also offers a group respite program which provides valuable opportunities for children with special needs to develop social skills, cultivate friendships, build self-esteem and raise their community awareness. Participating in a group program also helps decrease possible isolation of children with special needs.

Whether your child is developing typically or has special needs, it is important remember that taking time for yourself should not be considered a luxury–it is a necessity that helps to nurture and sustain family wellness and emotional health. Ultimately, when parents are rested and relaxed, they will have more energy to devote to those fun family summer outings.

Dawn Beazley and Melanie Reid are Respite Care Program Coordinators at Reach Child and Youth Development Society. REach provides services to children from birth to age 19 and their families. For more details call 604-946-6622 or visit reachdevelopment.org.