Therapeutic Family Care – Respite Caregiver

Status: Contractor
Program: Therapeutic Family Care (TFC)
Organization: Oak Hill Foundation

Position Overview

Oak Hill Foundation is seeking Respite Caregivers to join our Therapeutic Family Care (TFC) program.

Respite Caregivers open their homes to children and youth for planned, short-term stays, providing a safe, reliable, welcoming, and therapeutic environment while supporting continuity of care for the child or youth and their primary caregiver.

Respite is an important component of Therapeutic Family Care. It provides children and youth with positive relationships, experiences, and opportunities while giving primary caregivers planned periods of rest and renewal that support placement stability and long-term sustainability.

Respite Caregivers work as part of the broader TFC team and follow the established care plan, routines, strategies, safety considerations, and therapeutic approaches for each child or youth while they are in their home.

Our Care Principles

Our Therapeutic Family Care program is guided by six core care principles:

Developmentally Focused
Children and youth require opportunities, expectations, and supports that reflect their developmental needs. Caregivers help young people build skills within their current abilities while creating opportunities for continued growth.

Family is Actively Involved
Family, natural supports, culture, identity, and community are important components of a young person’s care. Respite Caregivers support these connections and respect the child’s existing relationships and care plan.

Relationship-Based
Positive change occurs through safe, consistent, and trusting relationships. Respite Caregivers create an environment where children and youth feel welcomed, respected, valued, and supported.

Competency-Centered
Children and youth are supported to recognize their strengths, develop new skills, solve problems, increase independence, and experience success.

Trauma-Informed
Behaviour is understood within the context of a young person’s experiences and needs. Respite Caregivers maintain a safe, predictable, non-coercive setting and respond to challenging situations using therapeutic and trauma-informed approaches.

Ecologically-Oriented
Children and youth develop through their interactions with their families, homes, schools, communities, and other environments. Respite Caregivers provide opportunities for positive community participation and meaningful everyday experiences.

The Role

As a Respite Caregiver, you will provide planned short-term care within your own home for children and youth participating in Oak Hill’s Therapeutic Family Care program.

Respite may include weekends, overnight stays, school breaks, or other planned periods based on the needs of the child or youth, their primary caregiver, and the program.

Unlike a full-time Therapeutic Foster Caregiver, the Respite Caregiver does not assume primary responsibility for the child’s overall treatment or placement. Instead, you work collaboratively with the child’s primary caregiver and Oak Hill TFC team to provide consistency and continuity during respite stays.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities may include:

- Providing a safe, stable, structured, and welcoming home environment during respite stays.
- Following the child’s established Therapeutic Care Plan, safety plans, routines, expectations, and therapeutic strategies.




- Building positive and developmentally appropriate relationships with children and youth.
- Supporting emotional regulation using trauma-informed and relationship-based approaches.
- Maintaining consistency with routines established within the child’s primary TFC home whenever appropriate.
- Supporting daily living activities, including meals, personal hygiene, bedtime routines, recreation, and household responsibilities.
- Creating opportunities for recreation, community engagement, physical activity, hobbies, and positive social experiences.
- Supporting children and youth in developing age-appropriate life and independence skills.
- Administering medications in accordance with established procedures when required.
- Transporting children and youth to planned activities or appointments when required.
- Responding safely and therapeutically to behavioural or emotional challenges.
- Utilizing non-physical de-escalation and crisis-prevention strategies.
- Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
- Communicating relevant information to the primary caregiver and Oak Hill TFC team.
- Completing required documentation related to the respite stay.
- Reporting incidents, significant events, safety concerns, or changes in behaviour according to Oak Hill procedures.
- Participating in required training, meetings, and ongoing learning opportunities.
- Working collaboratively with Oak Hill Supervisors, Clinicians, Therapeutic Foster Caregivers, and other members of the child’s support team.

Who We Are Looking For

Successful Respite Caregivers are individuals, couples, or families who can provide a safe and supportive home setting and who understand that meaningful relationships are central to therapeutic care.

You should be able to:

- Provide a safe, stable, and welcoming home.
- Develop positive relationships with children and youth who may have experienced trauma, loss, disruption, or instability.
- Remain calm and therapeutic during challenging situations.
- Follow established care plans, routines, boundaries, and therapeutic approaches.
- Work collaboratively with primary caregivers and the Oak Hill TFC team.
- Communicate clearly and professionally.
- Support children and youth with varying developmental, behavioural, emotional, and disability-related needs.
- Promote community participation, recreation, skill development, and independence.
- Maintain appropriate boundaries while providing warm, relationship-based care.
- Be flexible and responsive to the individual needs of each child or youth.

Qualifications and Experience

Preference will be given to applicants with education or experience in areas such as:

- Child and Youth Care
- Social Work
- Foster or Kinship Care
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Nursing
- Education
- Disability Services
- Mental Health
- Other Human Services fields

Previous experience supporting children or youth with complex needs, trauma histories, developmental disabilities, mental health needs, or involvement with Child and Family Services is considered an asset.

Knowledge and experience related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures, communities, and ways of knowing is also considered an asset.





Requirements

Applicants must:

- Be able to provide respite care within an appropriate home environment.
- Successfully complete Oak Hill’s caregiver assessment, home study, and approval process.
- Complete required training prior to or following approval as directed by the program.
- Maintain a valid Class 5 driver’s licence and reliable transportation.
- Maintain appropriate vehicle insurance as required by the program.
- Successfully complete required Police Information/Criminal Record and Intervention Record checks.
- Maintain current First Aid certification and complete other required therapeutic-care and safety training.
- Be willing to participate as a member of the Therapeutic Family Care team.

Additional requirements may apply as part of the licensing and approval process.

What Oak Hill Provides

Respite Caregivers are an important part of the TFC team. Oak Hill provides:

- 24-hour program support, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- Orientation, training, and ongoing professional development.
- Support from an assigned TFC Program Supervisor.
- Clinical consultation and support when required.
- Information and preparation specific to the child or youth before respite begins.
- Access to the child’s relevant care strategies, routines, and safety information.
- Opportunities to participate in caregiver groups and learning opportunities.
- Collaboration with experienced Therapeutic Foster Caregivers and the broader TFC team.
- Competitive respite compensation based on the level of support being provided.

Respite Compensation

Oak Hill’s current respite compensation is:

Level 1 Respite: $90 per day
Level 2 Respite: $100 per day

The applicable respite level is determined based on the needs of the child or youth and the level of support required during the respite period.

Why Respite Matters

High-quality respite is more than providing a child or youth with somewhere to stay.

Within Therapeutic Family Care, respite contributes to placement stability, caregiver sustainability, relationship development, community connection, and continuity of therapeutic care.

The goal is for children and youth to experience respite as another safe and predictable relationship within their broader circle of support.

If you have the space, stability, and commitment to provide children and youth with a safe place to belong for a few days at a time, we encourage you to consider becoming part of Oak Hill’s Therapeutic Family Care team.

Oak Hill Foundation is committed to equitable employment and contracting opportunities and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds, cultures, identities, family structures, and lived experiences.

Thank you for your interest in Oak Hill Foundation. Only applicants selected to proceed in the assessment process will be contacted.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $90.00-$100.00 per day

Benefits:

- Paid time off

Application question(s):

- Do you reside in Edmonton, AB or surrounding communities?
- Would you be able to provide a clean criminal record check?
- Would you be able to provide a clean child intervention check and a clean criminal records check?
- How many people are in your home under the age of 18 years old?
- Are you willing and able to support a young person living in your home for a full 12-24 month long period?
- Would you be able to provide a full class 5 Alberta drivers license, including proof of $2-million liability?

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Edmonton, AB T5K 2J6

📌 Respite Provider – Therapeutic Home Environment - Children/Youth (Edmonton)
🏢 Oak Hill Ranch
📍 Edmonton