Respite Care 

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services has been providing foster care for more than 40 years and currently contracts with 46 Wisconsin counties for children's foster care placement. Community Services' Respite Care Program was developed to provide for the increasing number of children who need short-term, out-of-home placement.

What is respite care?
Respite care is temporary child care so parents or foster parents can have a needed break from the stress of caring for a child or adolescent, or for other reasons that help sustain the family structure. Respite is provided in the home of the respite provider.

What are the benefits of respite care?
Respite care has been proven to reduce family stress and isolation, enhance family coping skills, increase feelings of well-being, support family stability, prevent abuse and neglect, and minimize the need for initial or further out-of-home placements. Respite care also has proven to be cost effective when it is able to prevent initial and continued out-of-home care placements.

What are the requirements for respite care providers?
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services' respite care providers are licensed under Wisconsin Administrative Codes HFS 56, Foster care and/or, HFS 38, Treatment Foster care

Respite providers are trained to meet the child's specific medical, emotional or behavioral needs. When multiple respite stays are needed, Children's Service Society matches the child with the same respite provider when at all possible, to create ongoing relationships between the respite providers and the children and their families.

What type of respite care is available?
The two main types of respite care are:

• Planned respite to give the caretaker a scheduled break (vacation, weekly/monthly breaks).
• Emergency respite to intervene in a family crisis.

I have clients who may need respite care. How can I refer them?
Accessing respite care is a simple process. When you call with a referral request, you will be asked to complete a form with specific information about the child. A Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services' case worker will then match placements and coordinate all respite care services. The placement will be monitored by the case worker and a written report will be provided to the referring agency upon completion of the respite service.

In what locations do you provide respite care?
Baraboo
(608) 356-3019

Barron
Eau Claire
(715) 835-5915

Beloit
Janesville
Madison
(608) 221-3511

Fox Valley
Green Bay
(920) 569-9822

Kenosha
Milwaukee
Racine
(414) 453-1400 or
(800) 653-2779

Sheboygan
(920) 458-5062

Black River Falls
(715) 284-3001

Waukesha
(262) 544-5333