Some families require respite care for their children. Respite care can help keep parents from becoming very tired or stressed out. Respite care can also help children to socialize with others and feel more independent. However, families are not always able to receive the respite care that they need or can afford.
We are conducting a research study to find ways to improve respite care for families of children requiring respite in Manitoba. We would like to talk to the families that require respite care and hear about their experiences and ideas of ways that it can be improved. Families will take part in two interviews. We will also ask families to take photos of the people, places or things they represent their daily life as well as their experience with respite care and how respite care or the lack of it, impacts their lives. Cameras will be provided to those who need one. We will also interview service providers and other stakeholders to find out what they think about respite care and how respite services can be improved. Families, service providers, and other stakeholders will help define the issues, identify the priorities, and contribute to solutions specific to respite care for children. We will also look at models of respite care that are used across the world to learn more about what has worked well in other places. We will also analyze population-based data about children from Manitoba. The information from these sources will be combined to create a new model of respite care services. This model will be better able to meet Manitoba’s families’ needs.