Respite care is one of a range of support services typically available to carers of people with dependencies who need a break from caring, and the factors that influence the need for respite care are generally similar irrespective of the nature of the dependencies. Hence, the expectations of families potentially have policy and service provision…

The evidence that the birth of a child with a disability leads to divorce or separation is equivocal, with the majority of recent research suggesting that such a birth and childrearing may be stressful, but not necessarily toxic, to the caregiver relationship. Such research has been limited by small sample sizes and nonrepresentative samples and…

This study assessed factors that could influence equipment and respite services use among Australian families caring for a girl/woman with Rett syndrome and examined relationships between use of these resources and the health of female caregivers. Data was sourced from questionnaires completed by families (n=170) contributing to the Australian…

This paper analyses the experiences and perceptions of parents and carers with respect to children accessing a variety of leisure activities, as well as short breaks and respite care. The children in question have wide-ranging needs and, for example, will be across the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The findings are based upon focus group…

Very little research has been conducted on insurance type (private vs. public funded) and costs, accessibility, and use of services of children with autism. Analysis of five parent reported outcomes: (a) out-of-pocket expenditures, (b) variety of services used, (c) access to services, (d) child and family service outcomes, and (e) satisfaction…

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the practice-oriented model of service use (Yeatts, Crow, & Folts, 1992) relative to the more widely used behavioral model (Andersen, 1968) in its ability to explain the use of respite services by caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. Unlike the behavioral model, which focuses primarily on…

Special Training for Exceptional People (STEP) is a private, nonprofit agency serving children with developmental disabilities (0-22 years) and their families in the south-central section of Montana, encompassing Billings and a Crow Indian Reservation. One of the services provided by STEP is specialized family care, to prevent placement out of…