Yet Another Issue

Still heady with our recent success over the gap year issue, my mind recently turned to another, related topic.

Hopefully, everyone whose child is enrolled in the Province's Direct Family Support Program for Children (formerly known as In Home Support for Children) is aware of the extra respite funding (up to $1,000) available over the summer months. No complaints there, it's a lifesaver for this family.

But it occurred to me recently that our family won't have access to that additional summer respite funding next summer, given that our oldest child recently turned 18 (let's not even go there!) and next year will have (supposedly) transitioned to the Direct Family Support for Adults program.  The Direct Family Support for Adults program,while it may have much to recommend it does not offer additional summer respite funding. 

And that would make  sense I suppose as long as the "adult" in question is not still enrolled in high school and, thus, still faced with two long summer months without a whole lot to do.  I mean it's not like she's going to be able to get a summer job, is it?  Or even summer work in some short of sheltered workshop environment? No, no she's not.

So it only make sense to me that as long as these kids young adults are still in school, the summer respite funding should continue.

Yes, I am well aware that there are many, many other issues to be dealt with.  But for us, like most families, I imagine, those issues that face us in the immediate future tend to stand out in stark contrast. Right now, there are a few staring me in the face, the most immediate being school and behaviour-related but as I determine our needs for summer respite for this year, I can see far enough down the road to be cognizant of the problem we will face next summer.

My. Daughter. Simply. Does. Not. Do. Down. Time. No way. No how. 

She just doesn't know how, which tends to make summer challenging even when I have access to a pot of extra respite funding.  Because then I only have to find respite workers and appropriate activities. (Yes, there was just a touch of sarcasm there.)  But without that money?  No, it's probably best I don't think too much about that at the moment.

So let's just consider this a heads up.  It's an issue that many, many families face and one I'm hoping we will be able to do something about in the near future.

So. Any future takers out there?