What to Expect: Therapeutic Respite Care
Therapeutic respite is for the parent to have a break without compromising the child's progress. If your child is coming for therapeutic respite care they are not acting out at home or displaying out of control behavior. During therapeutic respite, the child will be doing play-based stations.
The mission of all King’s Respite is…
Respite care brings about immeasurable benefits both to the parent and the child. At King’s Ranch, our goal is for parents to have the opportunity to get the rest they need and reset their ability to provide the effective nurture and structure their child needs. In addition, our hope is for each child to be able to reset his or her brain from fight, flight, or freeze to the relational centers as well as helping them reach toward the parents for attachment and healing. Respite is very beneficial, and often essential, in aiding and accelerating the healing process of the child.
At King’s Ranch, we believe that while we are not the attachment figure for these children, we have a responsibility to provide loving yet matter-of-fact direction. Most importantly, we are to mirror God’s character in our interaction with all children. We are accountable before God for the respite care we provide.
Here is what you can expect when you send your child to King’s Ranch for therapeutic respite.
Your child will be in play-based stations the entire time they are at King’s Ranch.
Your child will not eat family dinners with respite providers. In order to support attachment with parents, we reserve family dinners for home. We will serve your child healthy meals, but we will not be eating with them. We will not serve dessert, because in order to support attachment, sweet things come only from Mom.
Your child will rest and sleep in a room of their own with a door chime. In order to preserve the safety of each child and our team, we will utilize the door chime at rest time and bedtime. Each child will be required to comply with the door chime. It is not optional.
Your child will have minimal details of the respite stay - daily instruction and plans are at the discretion of the respite provider.
Your child will be continually pointed back to Mom and Dad.
Your child will receive therapeutic parenting that is consistent with Unplowed Ground Therapeutic Parenting in its entirety. We do not accommodate any other programs or methods.
Your child will receive loving, yet matter-of-fact direction and care from the respite provider while at King’s Ranch.
There may be times when there are multiple children at the Ranch at the same time. Please read our “Respite Care Supervision” policy PDF for details.
Your child will go along with the respite provider in their activities of daily living. They will leave the house as needed to run errands, go to church, etc. The Destination Station will be utilized.
Updates will be provided as requested. Please fill out our Communication Sheet (provided at drop off) and coordinate with your respite provider.
Respite at King’s Ranch is a supportive measure to encourage the child to reach toward the parents for attachment. Our mission is to end adoption failure, therefore respite at King’s Ranch is not to be used as a holding place while a new placement is found.