Therapeutic Respite

Respite care provides parents and other caregivers with short-term child care services that offer temporary relief.

What is respite care? 

Respite care provides parents and other caregivers with short-term child care services that offer temporary relief. Respite can be planned or offered during emergencies or times of crisis. Respite may be available to foster, kinship, and adoptive families, as well as birth families in need of support from Garden River First Nation.

Eligibility

  • The child or youth must be registered in the Jordan’s Principle program at the Garden River wellness center. 
  • Between the ages 0-17.
  • Garden River First Nation band member with registered band number.

How will this help me?

When your child has special needs, handing over responsibility can be a real challenge. You might feel as if you are the only person who can do the job, and doubt that anyone else could meet all of your child's needs. But remember, you're not superhuman. There's only so much you can give before you will feel mentally, emotionally, and physically drained. That's why it's a necessity — not a luxury — to take breaks from time to time. Having an extra set of hands so that you can run errands, go to an appointment, or just take a break to do something nice for yourself will work wonders for your mental health.


And when you're happier, you'll have more energy to do the things you need to do for your child and family — and that makes everyone happy.


When you take time off to recharge, you'll be able to give more and enjoy doing it. And your child will benefit as well. Kids learn that they can count on others for help. They can form new friendships, experience new environments or people, and have fun.

Our staff

All of our staff are required to have the following:

  • CPR/FIRST AID CERTIFICATION
  • SAFEGUARD TRAINING
  • CPIC-VULNERABLE SECTORS CHECK
  • BE OVER THE AGE OF 18.
  • IF TRAVELLING WITH THE CHILD, MUST HAVE PROOF OF DRIVER'S LICENSE AND 1,000,000.00$ LIABILITY IN THEIR INSURANCE POLICY.


You can feel safe knowing your child will be in well-trained, capable hands!

Discipline guidelines

We believe that children thrive in an environment that is safe, secure, nurturing and supportive. We believe it is important to set realistic expectations and limits for children to ensure the safety of each child. We also believe that we need to protect his/her rights and those of others that surround them.



Giving them choices or redirection when a child’s behavior is inappropriate can be used to avoid uncontrollable misbehavior. We will strive to help children solve their own problems, while acknowledging their feelings and helping them to consider the feelings of others.

WE DO
Praise, reward and encourage children.
Reason with and set limits for the child.
Model appropriate behavior for the child.
Modify the environment to attempt to prevent problems before they occur - including modifying children's behavior and language.
Listen to the children (verbal and non verbal)
Provide alternatives for inappropriate behavior.
Provide the children with natural and logical consequences for their behaviors.
(ie/ if they spill juice, they will be expected to help clean up)
Treat the children as people and respect their needs, desires and feelings.
Ignore minor misbehaviors.
Explain things to the children at their level.
Use short periods of “time-out” as a last resort, the child will be removed from the situation on a time out chair, within sight for one minute for each year of the child's age.
Allow children to make decisions/choices when applicable.
Give a warning cue agreed upon previously with the child to indicate a change in activities.
WE DO NOT
Spank, shake, bite, pinch, push, pull, slap or physically punish a child.
Make fun of, yell at, threaten, make sarcastic remarks, use profanity or verbally abuse a child within our care.
Shame or punish the child when bathroom or other accidents occur.
Deny food or rest as punishment.
Leave the child alone, unattended, or without supervision.
Allow discipline of children by children.
Criticize, make fun of or belittle children's parents, families or ethnic groups.
We do not expect compliance at all times.

Our promise of confidentiality

The relationship with Garden River wellness center and the families served will, from time to time, bring to the respite worker’s knowledge confidential information, concerning other families and will be kept confidential.

All children and their families who are involved with GRWC are entitled, as a matter of rights, to know that such information shall be held in the strictest of confidence by those who come in possession of it.

That it is the stated policy of the GRWC that such confidentiality be strictly recognized and preserved.

No information in any form, regarding any family/child engaged in the therapeutic respite provider program, shall be made public on any social media platform or alike without expressed written consent of the family/legal guardian.

The health care information given to the Respite care worker such as access to emergency care for the child with whom they are working with-including health card number-is strictly confidential.

The ONLY exception to this promise is the reporting of child abuse - which is a universal, LEGAL obligation.

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