Respite Providers Create a Community of Care for Children

“We say it takes a village to raise a child, but not everyone has access to a support network,” said Sarah Mumaw-Flury. Respite providers like her step up to provide that support in La Crosse County. The Holmen teacher and mom-of-four said the goal is to give a sense of security to children and their caregivers when they need a break.

“To be able to be part of someone else’s support system is really an honor,” said Mumaw-Flury (pictured above with her family).

Being a respite provider means offering to care for children for a night, or a weekend, or up to two weeks. Sometimes, a child might only need respite care once. Most often, providers like Mumaw-Flury offer respite on a consistent basis to the children and caregivers they establish relationships with.

“You know ahead of time what you’re committing to, which is nice,” she said. “You can look at your calendar and say yes or no.”

There’s currently a shortage of respite providers in La Crosse County. That could in part be due to the pandemic. It’s also because providers sometimes go on to become foster parents or are no longer available for new respite work after developing ongoing relationships through the program.

“If you are thinking at all about how to support a child in your community, respite is the place to start,” said Lila Barlow, Permanency Resource Unit Supervisor with the La Crosse County Human Services Department.

The process to become a respite provider through La Crosse County is less intensive than the requirements to become a foster parent. There’s a background check, a home visit and some training. Barlow said it’s a good place for someone who’s interested in fostering, but maybe not fully sure if they’re ready. In fact, that’s how Mumaw-Flury started out. She and her husband wanted to foster but were a little nervous about the process.

“I wasn’t sure if our hearts would be strong enough to become foster parents,” she said. “I think respite was a way of protecting ourselves at first from that fear of bringing a child into your family, and then letting them go.”

Once they became respite providers, Mumaw-Flury said they really enjoyed the process. They ended up fostering one of the first children they took in through respite, and later adopted them. Since then, the family has continued to offer respite care, in addition to being foster parents.

Mumaw-Flury likes to build relationships with the families or caregivers whose children she offers respite care to. Often, the caregivers are understandably nervous to begin with. She likes to meet with them and talk to try and provide a sense of safety. They could be a caregiver who has a medical appointment, and has nowhere else to turn, or someone who simply needs a break for a weekend.

“The truth is when there’s a person, when there’s a face, when you see these children, you see that everybody is trying the best they can,” she said. “And if you can provide a place of support, of comfort, and of fun, that’s really what we hope to do.”

Mumaw-Flury added that being a respite provider has also proven to be a great experience for her own children, who’ve made new friends and learned from the other children.

Becoming a respite provider is a great way to help strengthen our sense of community, Barlow said. Anyone who decides to take that step will have the support of a team of professional at the county. She added that children often really look forward to respite as a break from their normal routine.

“Often, respite is fun, a lot of the issues that youth may have in their own homes, don’t come with them to respite,” Barlow says. “It’s something kids look forward to.”

Barlow said anyone who can offer a stable and safe home environment can become a respite provider, and she’s hoping more people take up the opportunity, given the current shortage. If you’re interested, please contact La Crosse County at 608-784-4357 or click this link for more information.