3.15.120 Kinship Respite Care

Applies to:  This policy applies to Licensing Division (LD) workers.

Chapter Number & Title:  3.15.120. Foster Care 

Policy Number & Title:  3.15.120 Kinship Respite Care

Effective Date:  July 1, 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on how LD certifies kinship respite providers and notifies licensed kinship caregivers about their rights to receive respite care.  

Authority

RCW 74.13.270  Respite care
RCW 74.15.020  Definitions
RCW 74.15.125  Probationary licenses-Child-specific licenses
Chapter 110-149 WAC  Licensing requirements for kinship homes

Policy

  1. LD workers must complete the following when:
    1. They receive certified respite provider applications:
      1. Verify applicants meet the requirements for certified respite providers in WAC 110-149-0090.
      2. Verify applicants can meet the specific needs of the children or youth in care.
      3. Approve, deny, or withdraw the certified respite applications in writing.
    2. Contacted by individuals wanting to provide respite services for unlicensed kinship caregivers, refer them to the children’s or youth’s caseworker.
    3. Recertifying respite providers:
      1. Verify they continue to meet the requirements in WAC 110-149-0090.
      2. Complete the recertification process.
      3. Approve or deny recertification in writing.
    4. Licensing kinship caregivers, notify them:
      1. Of their right to receive respite and inform them that they:
        1. Will accrue a two days of respite care monthly and may be approved for additional respite days for children or youth for:
          1. Specific needs
          2. Emergencies
        2. May access respite by contacting the children’s or youth’s caseworker.
        3. May have the following respite care options, including respite in:
          1. Their own home from approved:
            1. Kinship certified respite providers
            2. Certified respite providers.
          2. The kinship certified respite provider’s home when they meet requirements in WAC 110-149-0090.
          3. The homes of licensed:
            1. Foster parents.
            2. Kinship care providers approved to care for the specific children or youth.
      2. That paid certified kinship respite providers:
        1. Must be approved by LD.
        2. May be identified by the following, including but not limited to:
          1. Children or youth
          2. Kinship caregivers
          3. Caseworkers
          4. Tribes
          5. Parents
          6. Other relatives
  2. LD workers may:
    1. Certify individuals to provide certified kinship respite care in either:
      1. A licensed kinship caregiver’s home.
      2. Their own home.
    2. Approve licensed kinship caregivers to provide respite care for kinship children or youth.
    3. Approve an overcapacity request for respite care for kinship children or youth in a licensed kinship caregiver’s home.
    4. Purchase items through concrete goods to support and maintain placement for the following:
      1. Licensed kinship caregivers providing respite care.
      2. Certified kinship respite providers who provide respite in their own home.
  3. Supervisors must document approvals, denials, and withdrawals in FamLink.

Resources

Child Welfare Concrete Goods policy

Child Welfare Respite for Licensed Foster Parents, Unlicensed Relative Caregivers and Other Suitable Persons policy

DCYF Administrative 6.03 policy Access to Services for Individuals with Disabilities policy

Kinship Respite Care (located on the DCYF policies and rules intranet page, licensing division procedures)

Original Date:  July 1, 2025

Review Date:  July 31, 2029

Approved by:  Ruben Reeves, Assistant Secretary of Licensing Division