Childcare and Respite – Kid’s Net

Respite Care

DCF foster and pre-adoptive caregivers can receive up to ten (10) nights of paid respite care each year. Respite care provides caregivers with planned time away to rest, recharge, or attend to personal needs while ensuring their children are cared for. 

Learn more about respite: English | Spanish

Short-Term Childcare and Babysitting

Foster, pre-adoptive, and kinship families may seek up to ten (10) hours per month of either:

  • Planned, short-term care in licensed childcare homes arranged by Kid’s Net staff. Requests must be made at least three business days in advance, and a caregiver may not always be available.

    Learn more about short-term childcare: English | Spanish

  • Reimbursement for babysitting with a DCF-approved caretaker. Foster parents should work with their Foster Care or Kinship Social Worker to ensure their desired caregiver is approved in the DCF system. The foster parent is responsible for communicating with the caregiver and ensuring they are available on the date/times care is needed.

    Learn more about babysitting reimbursement: English | Spanish