Inclusion Yukon Respite Matching Program
What is Respite?
Respite allows for short-term care for people with a wide range of developmental or physical disabilities. It gives their caregivers temporary relief from the emotional and physical demands of providing care. Respite care can range from having a break for an afternoon, to caregivers requiring care for a few weeks while they travel outside of the territory. The needs for respite can be as unique as the people who are requesting care, and won’t always look the same from person to person.
Not only is respite care an opportunity to support families and caregivers in taking a needed break, it can also contribute to a person’s whole well-being, which means their emotional, physical, psychological, spiritual and social renewal that enables someone to live actively, and participate in the life of their community.
What is the Respite Matching Program?
The Independent Respite Worker Matching Program connects families and caregivers to skilled and professional care workers that can provide care and support for individuals who may be neurodiverse, have physical disabilities, be on the spectrum of disability, or may need extra support in general. We can answer general questions about the matching process and help to navigate concerns when hiring a worker, however Inclusion Yukon is not the employer of the respite workers, nor are they the supervisors. Respite workers are supervised and employed by the caregiver once they have been matched. We cannot guarantee a match as it will be totally dependent on Independent Respite Workers schedules, their skills and experience, and if they match the requests of the family. We do not provide funding to pay respite workers.
Frequently Asked Questions about our Matching Program:
Do you provide funding for families to pay Respite Workers?
No, unfortunately we do not have funding available to pay for respite workers.
How do Caregivers pay for Respite Care?
We typically get intake forms where families have found funding through Disability Services, Jordan’s Principle, Children and Family Services, or families that pay out of pocket.
How does the matching process work?
Inclusion Yukon maintains a database of respite workers who have a range of skills, experience, and availability. Inclusion Yukon interviews respite workers, checks references, and asks for criminal record checks and for First Aid/CPR certification. Once the workers have gone through this process, we create a profile for each worker that we send to potential caregivers. When we receive an intake form from caregivers, we put it into a database with their schedule, care needs, and all other key information we need to make the match. We then go through the list and call respite workers who have availability in their schedule, and who have the skills and experience that match the needs of the family. Once we find a potential match, we send the profile to the family members and then we send the caregiver intake form to the worker; if they both are content, we go ahead and make the match!
What happens after I submit my intake form? and How long does it take to get a match?
Once you have submitted your intake form, we try to follow up promptly with a call or e-mail, to confirm that we have received your intake form. We may ask some follow up questions about your intake, and write down any additional information that may have been missing. It can take up to two weeks and sometimes longer to find an appropriate match. This depends on respite worker availability, schedules, and how many workers we currently have on our list. Some caregivers are looking for a worker to provide support year round, which means once we match a worker, they may no longer be available to work with anyone else. Please reach out to our office at 867-667-4606 about the progress of your match, or if you have any questions or concerns.
Finding the right fit can take some time.
The length of time to make a successful match depends on the availability of workers, their relevant experience and frequency of new Respite Worker applications.
Who are the Respite Workers?
A key aspect of receiving quality respite care is that families/caregivers can feel safe, comfortable and confident that the person they are caring for is being well supported by their Respite Worker. We hire a range of workers who have varied experience and availability. We try to onboard a range of workers with different skills to offer. They range from those who are keen to gain more experience working with people with disabilities to some who have years of experience working with high needs individuals.
How are the Respite Workers Screened?
Every applicant has their resume screened for relevant skills and experience in any of the following fields: care work, child care, medical care, personal support work, recreational experience, nursing, education and/or lived experience with individuals who require personal care. When applicants are chosen for an interview, they meet with our management team for an interview and must provide a clear vulnerable sector check, First Aid certificate, and several professional references.
What happens with the information I share on my Intake form? Who will see that information?
Your information that is shared on the intake form will be kept confidential within our organization and our Respite Matching team. We store it in our private database within Inclusion Yukon, and only share it with potential respite matches. This is the same case for the respite worker profiles — we only share them with potential caregivers.
I am not tech savvy and need help submitting my intake form, Is there help available?
Call our office and we can help you do the intake form over the phone 867-667-4606. If calling is not accessible to you, please send us an email and we can set up an in-person appointment or find other accommodations for you.
Interested in being a Respite worker?
Providing Respite Care can be a great way to connect with the community and give valued experiences to clients and their caregivers. Whether you are looking for part-time work or looking to find multiple contracts, we will do our best to match you with intakes that will work for your schedule. Most of the contracts are for evenings and weekends, but we also get requests for care during the day, the week, for summer camps, and even overnight stays. Caregivers are looking for a break, and even a few hours a week of respite can make a difference. If you are interested in applying to the respite program, please send a cover letter and resume to meriya@inclusionyukon.org and reuben@inclusionyukon.org and/or give our office a call at 867-667-4606 and ask about our Respite Program.
This program is possible because of funding from the Yukon Government.
“Each person deserves a day in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for”
Recommendations for Respite Workers:
Remember, you are a self-employed contractor. We can offer some advice and additional resources, but you must negotiate the terms of your contract.
Lay out expectations of hours availability, schedule, length of service/commitment
Clarifying boundaries of care, for example: if you are not available after a certain time of day, you cannot provide service at that time
Agree to hours that will be paid; hours that are for interview and training times
Communicate necessary absences well in advance if possible
Agree on a necessary emergency plan for sick days, flat tires, extreme cold weather, or other emergencies
Clear communication, and being on the same page as your caregiver is key to establishing a good working relationship
Have a written agreement, or a contract that is signed by yourself and the caregiver outlining shared agreements and expectations
Recommendations for Care Givers:
Remember, this contract is made between yourself and the respite worker. You may have to try to find an alternative care if there are sickness/absences.
Remember that the respite worker is self employed, and may want to discuss what to do about absences or sick days. Please respect that this is likely not their only job.
Clarify expectations of Care: What kind of tasks are expected? Have a discussion about what kind of care is needed, and come to an agreement of what you need and what the respite worker can provide. Is there anything that is not expected of them? What are the main goals of care?
Decide specifically what you would like to know about the person, and make sure your interview questions will give you that information; We can suggest some questions to ask. Also give yourself a time frame for how long the interview will last.
Recommend the best ways for the worker to connect and engage with the person they support. Do they play any sports? Video games? Enjoy the outdoors?
Advise the worker of specific language or strategies that are effective, safe, and respectful for certain situations.
Clear communication and being on the same page as your Respite Worker is key to establishing a good working relationship
Have a written agreement or a contract that is signed by yourself and the worker outlining shared agreements and expectations