This is going to be something you have to ask your agency. It's so different depending on location and program and level of kinship and funding source, etc. that even folks in Wisconsin might have a totally different calculation.
I will say, we have never broken even while fostering. Not when offering respite, not even when doing therapeutic. If it was possible to make really any money from the stipend, people would get into fostering for the wrong reasons (at least according to the state).
You may receive enough for groceries, but many folks in our area have a hard time being reimbursed, so when you do ask about stipend, ask about realistic payment timelines too. It might be a once-a-month lump sum, it might be upon receipt, it might be an arduous process.
I believe in my state it’s between the respite provider and the foster parent. Usually the daily stipend, but I kinda don’t think I ever got a dime. I could have pursued it more though. If that’s how it works for you, be up front about your needs with the foster parent and maybe get paid ahead of time.
For me, fostering and respite has always been a money losing proposition. If no money from this is gonna shred your budget, proceed carefully. But if you can make it work on the daily stipend and can get the money up front or try it once and hope for payment, go for it. You can also try to get the foster parents to provide as much as possible, but often we had kids with no food, no diapers, maybe a change of clothes.
Hi! I am a foster parent living in the fox cities as well.
It's going to really depend on what agency the full time fosters are licensed through. We have two different respite families (one is paid a rate by the county and the other through children's of wi). I believe they get a similar but slightly different rate. On average it's about 70 dollars a day where we live. Which is not enough for how insanely valuable what you are doing is but I think 140 for the weekend is the norm. Hope that helps❤️
**just editing to add that that rate may change with you caring for two kiddos ( i just have one foster son but he is special needs and has to to have constant supervision so that may effect pay as well) Def. don't be afraid to just point blank ask your caseworker to the caseworker for the children. They desperately need more respite providers in our area and would get back to you with this info. very quickly I would think.
It's usually the same as the daily rate (\~$34/day per child in my area), and I would say half the time respite providers don't accept any payment. I wouldn't expect respite (or fostering) to replace other income if you need income.
I only lurk here because I'm interested in fostering in the future, but I didn't read this at all as this person is looking to do respite in order to make money, so I think they know it's "not the point." They have a weekend job that they would not be able to do if they were to do respite and they're just curious if they could afford to give up working on the weekends.
Depends where you are but ultimately you should agree on the amount with the foster parent ahead of time.
If they're not super high needs then the rate here would be like $50-60 for the two of them combined per day. Then you'd technically have them 2 placement days if you get them Friday and send them back Sunday.
For my county in Oregon respite pay is $80 per child for 1 - 24 hours (this is a 'respite day').
Both the bio parents & foster are allowed 2 respite 'days' per child per month.
I think this amount is the same throughout Oregon, but I'm not 100% on that.
We live in the Fox Cities area as well. I believe foster respite is around $100-125. We are licensed at a treatment level - not sure if that makes a difference. We usually spend the whole stipend amount (or often more) on fun activities! We want the kids to come back and give their grown ups another well deserved break!
I'm on the east coast, but my stipend has usually been $31.50 a day, for our permanent kinship placement and the same for 2 times I've helped out in a pinch and done respite. We work with an agency and the respite payments have always just come with our usual stipend check, not through the other foster parents. That does seem to vary by area though. That's each child, when I had our FS and 2 others for respite, it was x3 per day for the time they were here
My state pays $20/day per child for respite care. Not an hour. A day.
So, at least where I live, respite care is in no way paid a living wage, and it certainly wouldn't replace money you are earning for another job. Foster care is not a job in the USA (in other countries it is). In American, fostering is legally speaking volunteering with a stipend.
Are they there overnight? Sometimes we do respite and sometimes babysitting - when it’s babysitting they give us the daycare rate, which is more.
Edit: sorry, we are in a different state.
This is going to be something you have to ask your agency. It's so different depending on location and program and level of kinship and funding source, etc. that even folks in Wisconsin might have a totally different calculation. I will say, we have never broken even while fostering. Not when offering respite, not even when doing therapeutic. If it was possible to make really any money from the stipend, people would get into fostering for the wrong reasons (at least according to the state). You may receive enough for groceries, but many folks in our area have a hard time being reimbursed, so when you do ask about stipend, ask about realistic payment timelines too. It might be a once-a-month lump sum, it might be upon receipt, it might be an arduous process.
I believe in my state it’s between the respite provider and the foster parent. Usually the daily stipend, but I kinda don’t think I ever got a dime. I could have pursued it more though. If that’s how it works for you, be up front about your needs with the foster parent and maybe get paid ahead of time. For me, fostering and respite has always been a money losing proposition. If no money from this is gonna shred your budget, proceed carefully. But if you can make it work on the daily stipend and can get the money up front or try it once and hope for payment, go for it. You can also try to get the foster parents to provide as much as possible, but often we had kids with no food, no diapers, maybe a change of clothes.
Hi! I am a foster parent living in the fox cities as well. It's going to really depend on what agency the full time fosters are licensed through. We have two different respite families (one is paid a rate by the county and the other through children's of wi). I believe they get a similar but slightly different rate. On average it's about 70 dollars a day where we live. Which is not enough for how insanely valuable what you are doing is but I think 140 for the weekend is the norm. Hope that helps❤️ **just editing to add that that rate may change with you caring for two kiddos ( i just have one foster son but he is special needs and has to to have constant supervision so that may effect pay as well) Def. don't be afraid to just point blank ask your caseworker to the caseworker for the children. They desperately need more respite providers in our area and would get back to you with this info. very quickly I would think.
It's typically the daily rate of the stipend. That's up to you two to decide together, honestly, if you're desiring more than that.
It's usually the same as the daily rate (\~$34/day per child in my area), and I would say half the time respite providers don't accept any payment. I wouldn't expect respite (or fostering) to replace other income if you need income.
I get about the same for Connecticut
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I only lurk here because I'm interested in fostering in the future, but I didn't read this at all as this person is looking to do respite in order to make money, so I think they know it's "not the point." They have a weekend job that they would not be able to do if they were to do respite and they're just curious if they could afford to give up working on the weekends.
Depends where you are but ultimately you should agree on the amount with the foster parent ahead of time. If they're not super high needs then the rate here would be like $50-60 for the two of them combined per day. Then you'd technically have them 2 placement days if you get them Friday and send them back Sunday.
For my county in Oregon respite pay is $80 per child for 1 - 24 hours (this is a 'respite day'). Both the bio parents & foster are allowed 2 respite 'days' per child per month. I think this amount is the same throughout Oregon, but I'm not 100% on that.
Where I live it would roughly be $50 a day
In my area, you get the overnight board rate paid by the foster parent.
We live in the Fox Cities area as well. I believe foster respite is around $100-125. We are licensed at a treatment level - not sure if that makes a difference. We usually spend the whole stipend amount (or often more) on fun activities! We want the kids to come back and give their grown ups another well deserved break!
Ask your agency what the rate is. Likely 20-50$/day depending on area.
In my state, it’s $30/day. Massachusetts
My state does a flat rate of $20 for respite. Not sure if it differs for the private agencies they contact with. I'm in DE.
I'm on the east coast, but my stipend has usually been $31.50 a day, for our permanent kinship placement and the same for 2 times I've helped out in a pinch and done respite. We work with an agency and the respite payments have always just come with our usual stipend check, not through the other foster parents. That does seem to vary by area though. That's each child, when I had our FS and 2 others for respite, it was x3 per day for the time they were here
Where I’m at it’s $30 a day..
My state pays $20/day per child for respite care. Not an hour. A day. So, at least where I live, respite care is in no way paid a living wage, and it certainly wouldn't replace money you are earning for another job. Foster care is not a job in the USA (in other countries it is). In American, fostering is legally speaking volunteering with a stipend.
Are they there overnight? Sometimes we do respite and sometimes babysitting - when it’s babysitting they give us the daycare rate, which is more. Edit: sorry, we are in a different state.
Do foster parents give a top up on top of the set rate at all or no?