“Respite is a flexible, periodic, short term break from care-giving for the purpose of rest and renewal for the family”
(South West Region Ideal Model)

Respite is as individualized and unique as families are. A respite plan could consist of a few hours of respite either in or out of your home, to more extended lengths of time.

The Bruce Grey Respite Network is a collaborative group of Community organizations with a mission to work together to simplify access to planned respite.

Keystone manages two Respite Programs:

1. The Autism Spectrum Disorder Respite – provides respite support to individuals, and their families, who have a diagnosis within the autism spectrum.
   
   
2. The Children’s Mental Health Respite – provides respite support to individuals, and their families, who have significant mental health issues.

To access these programs call Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services at 519 371-4773 or 1-800-567-2384 or contact your local Community Living office.

A young local couple are parents to three children; two of which have a diagnosis within the Autism Spectrum Disorder. All three children are under the age of 6.

Both parents work outside the family home and struggle with balancing their time between meeting the needs of all three children, meeting the exceptional needs of two of their children, and maintaining a healthy relationship between themselves.

Respite provides the family an opportunity to hire support people to assist with meeting the exceptional needs of their children with autism. While support workers care for the children on a respite break they are also able to focus on helping address the many needs of the children as well as providing them a safe caring environment. Workers provide the children social opportunities to practice and develop social skills, they encourage and teach self-help skills to enhance their independence, as well as modelling appropriate behaviour and exploring various means of communication.

The support also provides parents time to focus some undivided attention on their child without special needs as well as a chance to rest and become rejuvenated.

The parents have said :
“Respite is a blessing”
“Respite helps us to get through the tough times”
“Having a planned respite date on the calendar keeps us going”
“We wonder how we got along before we had respite”