Not Ready for Full-Time? Start with Respite Care.
Respite foster care lets you help children and support foster families — without the 24/7 commitment. It's a perfect way to start, learn, and see if fostering is right for you.
What is Respite Care?
Respite care is short-term foster care — typically for a weekend, a week, or school breaks. You care for a foster child while their regular foster parents take a break (a vacation, a family event, or just time to recharge).
Think of it like this:
Full-time foster parents are running a marathon. You're giving them water at mile 18 so they can keep going. Without respite, foster families burn out. You prevent that.
Why Respite Matters
Keeps Families Together
Foster parents who get regular respite are far less likely to quit. When they stay, children don't get moved to new homes. Stability matters.
Helps the Child
Kids in foster care benefit from meeting new, caring adults. Respite providers can become mentors, friends, or even long-term supports after reunification.
Low-Risk Entry Point
Not sure if you can handle full-time fostering? Respite lets you try it out. You gain real experience without committing to years.
Fills a Desperate Need
There's a massive shortage of respite providers. Agencies are begging for people who can take a child for even one weekend a month.
What Does Respite Look Like?
You Get Licensed
Yes, you still need to complete the home study and training (same process as full-time fostering). But when you apply, you specify that you're interested in respite only.
You Set Your Availability
Tell the agency when you're available: certain weekends, summer weeks, holidays, emergencies. You control the schedule. If you can only do one weekend every other month, that's still helpful.
The Agency Calls When There's a Match
"We have a 9-year-old girl who needs respite this Saturday-Sunday. Her foster parents are attending a wedding. Can you take her?" You say yes or no based on your availability.
You Care for the Child
During the respite period, the child stays with you. You feed them, do activities, provide a safe, caring environment. The agency and foster family provide you with everything you need to know.
The Child Returns to Their Foster Family
At the end of the respite period, the child goes back to their regular foster home. You've just given a foster family a lifeline — and given a child a fun, safe weekend.
Common Questions
Do I get paid for respite care?
Yes! Respite providers receive the same daily stipend as full-time foster parents. It's not a salary, but it covers the child's expenses (food, activities, supplies).
What if I get attached?
That's natural. But respite is explicitly short-term — you know going in that the child will return to their foster family. Many respite providers see the same children repeatedly and form meaningful bonds without the full-time commitment.
Can I transition to full-time fostering later?
Absolutely! Many full-time foster parents started with respite. It's a great way to learn, gain confidence, and decide if fostering is right for you.
What ages can I do respite for?
You can specify age ranges when you apply. Some people prefer infants, others teens, others any age. Agencies will match based on your preferences.
How often will I be called?
It varies. Some respite providers take a child once a month. Others might go months between placements. You control your availability, and you can always say no to a request.
Ready to Start Small?
Enter your zip code to find agencies that offer respite foster care programs in your area. When you contact them, say: "I'm interested in respite care."
We use your zip code to find the agencies closest to you
Not in Pennsylvania yet? We're expanding soon.
“We started with respite because we weren't sure we could handle full-time. After six months of weekend placements, we realized: we CAN do this. Now we're full-time foster parents, and we never would have gotten here without respite.”
— Sarah & Mike, Allegheny County