This page contains information for families living in the Greater Boston area interested in hosting students as respite care providers over the summer. If you have additional questions, please email campustocommunity@umass.edu.
Sign up now for Summer 2025. We usually have more families in need than students to match, but we match students based on where they are living so it’s always a good idea to put your name in the hat!
How can I sign up?
Once you complete the intake survey, we will reach out to schedule a Zoom/phone call to tell you more about the program and gather some basic information about your family. If we’re able to match you to a student, we will follow up with a home visit.
What paperwork is required?
We try to keep paperwork to a minimum. You do not need to provide medical or educational records in order to participate. You will be asked to complete criminal background check and a liability release (forms are provided by mail and picked up during the home visit).
What can this program offer my family?
This program offers families of children with special health care needs or developmental disabilities access to respite care throughout the summer. The students are not trained to provide any specific type of service, but rather to engage your child in social and recreational activities. We hope this program will offer you a chance to take a break from caregivers to engage in leisure activities or socialize (or maybe even just take a share and do laundry!).
Who is eligible to participate?
We define special health care needs and developmental disability very broadly. If you feel you would benefit from respite care as a caregiver to support with greater-than-average support needs, you are encouraged to reach out. When pairing students with families, scheduling most often dictates who is enrolled in the program in a given semester. When demand outweigh our capacity, we try to prioritize families with the greatest need for respite (e.g., no access to other in-home supports, limited financial resources for out-of-pocket respite care, family structure, etc.).
When will the students come?
We do not have a fixed schedule during the week but work with families individually to match need with student availability. In June, we expect most children are in school during the day, so home visits take place after school or on weekends. In July and August, it is up to you and the student to work out a mutually agreeable schedule. Some families and students prefer weekly visits while others prefer weekend clusters or even intensive respite for a solid week.
How long will the students come?
This program is limited to the summer months at the Mount Ida campus currently. Students will begin their home visits by approximately the second week of June and continue through the end of the summer. Please keep in mind that students may also have some planned vacation time. You can check out the UMass academic calendar for specific summer session dates.
Who are the students?
Students participating in this program have expressed interest in working with people with disabilities in their future career. Many, but not all, are on the pre-med/pre-health track at UMass or choosing to specialize in Developmental Disabilities and Human Services. These students come from a range of different majors and backgrounds and aspire to be speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, doctors, nurses, psychologists and many other careers.
While many students have courses relating to disability, you should not expect that the students have received specialized training in particular approaches to supporting people with disabilities (e.g., special education, applied behavior analysis).
Where will the visits take place?
The weekly visits typically take place at your home, but we are open to discussing alternative community locations as well. For example, some families find it helpful to use a respite care provider to access inclusive recreational opportunities in their home communities. During the summer, this may mean bringing a respite care provider as a one-on-one support so that a child can access an inclusive camp setting.
What am I expected to do during the visit?
You are welcome and encouraged to take advantage of this time to engage in leisure activities, catch up on housework, or rest. We ask that you plan to stay home until both you and the student feel comfortable with the student staying with your child independently.
Can my other children be involved?
As long as the respite care provider feels they can manage multiple children, this is fine with us!
Can I hire the students as respite care providers outside the program?
Yes! You are welcome to ask students about their interest in continuing as respite care providers or personal care attendants outside of their regularly scheduled visits for which they receive course credit.
Do you complete criminal background checks on the students?
Yes! We complete criminal background checks on all students participating in this course. We do not require fingerprinting, but you are welcome to request that students in your home complete this extra step. We can reimburse students for the cost of fingerprinting.