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Having a child with disabilities may increase stress, take a toll on mental and physical health, make it difficult to find appropriate and affordable child care, decrease social participation, affect decisions about work and education/training, having additional children and relying on public support. It may be associated with guilt, blame or reduced self-esteem1. Families who report less stress usually are the recipients of formal support services, such as respite care2. Concept Families caring for a child with special needs at home have listed daytime respite care as one of the most sought, yet unmet, services. A few hours of relief enhances the caregivers’ emotional well-being, allowing them to carry on with their family responsibilities. While there are some, though still insufficient, resources available to families seeking institutional placement, there are even fewer programs accessible to families who want to keep their disabled child in the home - despite the significantly fractional cost as compared to residential services (in order to provide services in the home for a child who has severe behaviors, the total annual cost is about $5,000. Placing a child in a residential facility can cost as much as $150,000 annually). Goal Provide relief to caregivers of families with a child who has developmental disabilities through a pilot project that offers a social opportunity for children with disabilities and their siblings at Sunshine Children’s Home. Raise awareness about the need and importance of daytime respite care for families with children with a disability, through local media, community panels, public service announcements and membership activism.
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