Steps & Requirements to Become a Respite Care Provider

Six Steps to Becoming a Respite Care Provider:

In order to ensure that we’re matching the right children with the right families, there are six important steps to becoming a respite care provider.

Step One: Talk to a Kennedy Krieger therapeutic foster parent recruiter at 443-923-3811
Step Two: Attend an information meeting, where you will meet your recruiter and current foster parents and submit your application.
Step Three: Participate in an initial home visit and interview
Step Four: Attend and successfully complete pre-service training
Step Five: Participate in a follow-up home study
Step Six: Receive certification as a Kennedy Krieger Institute respite care provider.

The Requirements:

In order to become certified as a respite care provider, you must meet state licensing requirements. These include:

Minimum age of 21 years
Physical exams and tuberculosis testing for all family members
Background checks for all family members 18 and older
Reference checks
Health and fire inspections of the home

You must also sign agreements relating to the use of firearms, child abuse and neglect, discipline, and providing respite and/or foster care.

How to Contact Us

If you are interested in making a difference in the life of a child by becoming a respite care provider, please call Amy Meyerl at 443-923-5985 or email meyerl@kennedykrieger.org