While parents with disabilities may face big challenges, with appropriate supports, many can be great parents. Just like other parents, they do not have to be responsible for every part of childrearing all by themselves. All parents rely on supports to help raise their children, such as day care, carpools, schools, babysitting co-ops, or advice…

The Washington, D.C. suburb of McLean, Virginia is one of the most affluent areas in the United States. It is also a community of rare and remarkable power, where politics, military might, and corporate interests converge to create the perfect environment for successful non-profit efforts. On any given day of the week, there is a charity ball or…

The Kalamazoo (Michigan) Parent Respite Care Co-op enables parents of handicapped children to take a break from the daily care their child requires. (SW)

The mother of a mentally retarded adult emphasizes the need for respite care for families and discusses the changes in education since her daughter was of school age. (CL)

The parent of a severely handicapped child encourages parents to prepare written care plans when leaving a child with others for a respite period. (DB)

A respite care program in New Jersey provides 50 families of mentally alert severely disabled adults with periodic relief. The program, which featured recreational and social activities, promotes the mental health of parents and families. (CL)

Recent developments in the area of respite care for families of handicapped individuals are discussed. Two programs, the Hartford Regional Center, which has more than 60 licensed respite homes on its lists, and the Respite Care center of the St. Louis Association for Retarded Children, which has a 16 bed facility, are described. (PHR)

Parents of severely disabled or chronically ill children need to find competent baby-sitters for respite as well as opportunities to spend time with other family members. Baby-sitters, who may be found among supportive professionals, community groups, and college sutdents, may be trained to deal with specific child care concerns. (CL)

The author, the mother of a cerebral palsied child, considers the conflicts which arise for parents in using respite care. Noted among the reasons why respite care use is difficult for parents are feelings of guilt, conflicts in mothering, self-punishment for having a handicapped child, identification with the child, and separation from the child.…

Results of a survey of 2,800 parents of children with disabilities found that families are essentially pleased with their respite services, but are dissatisfied with the services' lack of flexibility, arbitrary limits on use, inability to respond to crises, lack of parental voice in forming or reforming services, etc. (JDD)

Transition is a dynamic lifelong process that seeks to meet individual needs as a person with disabilities moves from childhood to adulthood. Per laws in most states, once an individual becomes 18 years of age that person is considered an adult regardless of the level of his or her disability. Initiating planning for adult living activities and…

Designed for parents who wish to develop local respite care services for families with disabled children, this primer outlines strategies for: evaluating current available services and programs; pulling people together; conducting a needs assessment; raising money; and writing a proposal. (CB)

A mute autistic boy whose special education in seven programs enabled him to change from a hyperactive destructive child to a pensive lovable teenager gradually adjusted to placement in the Utah State Training School for retarded children during his parent's vacations. (MC)

The mother of a 21-year-old mentally retarded boy, who also suffers from frequent petit mal seizures, describes the developmental and behavioral problems which led her to seek institutional placement. (LH)

This article discusses the role of organized religion in providing respite services to families of children with disabilities. Respite programs using church volunteers are seen as an opportunity for new and effective partnerships between secular service systems and the religious community. Model programs are described. (PB)