Kinship respite services
We provide education and advocacy to help caregivers navigate complex systems, including Child & Family Well-Being (formerly CWS), the school system, public assistance, and healthcare. We offer in-home visits for support and permanency planning, as well as information and referrals to additional community resources.
Our program promotes safety, permanency and overall well-being for kinship families through case management, support groups, and respite services.
RESPITE CARE
For kinship caregivers who are over 55 years old, we partner with The County of San Diego, Aging and Independent Services (AIS), to provide a short-term break to relieve the emotional, physical and financial stress of providing continuous kinship care. Eligible caregivers can receive up to 120 hours of child care, before and after school care, day camp or overnight camp. This allows the caregiver the opportunity for rest and relief and engages the child in safe and enriching activities.
HOW TO APPLY:
To apply for respite care, please download the AIS Respite Form below in your preferred language and email a completed copy to kinshipyfs@ymcasd.org. Due to the high volume of requests, please submit your completed forms at least three months prior to your desired respite dates.
Please note that these forms may require certain software to view. Download the free Adobe pdf reader here.
NAVIGATION AND CASE MANAGEMENT
We provide education and advocacy to help navigate complex systems, including the Child Welfare System (CWS), school system, public assistance and healthcare. We offer in-home visits for support and permanency planning, as well as, information and referrals to further resources in the area.
SUPPORT GROUPS
We host 6 support groups throughout San Diego County to allow kinship caregivers the opportunity to share their experiences, provide education on resources and receive emotional and moral support from each other.
Child care is included on site and support groups are available in English and Spanish.
Contact & Referral
For more information about Kinship Support Services, call 877-YMCA-4-KIN (877-9622-4-546) or email us at kinshipyfs@ymcasd.org.
For professionals, download, fill out, and email a Referral Form to kinshipyfs@ymcasd.org.
Families seeking Kinship Support services may complete and submit the Self-Referral Application Form to kinshipyfs@ymcasd.org. Our team will confirm receipt within 2 business days and contact you regarding eligibility and next steps.
