Répit Québec
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For the respite of families with disabled individuals
Initiated by Solidarité de parents de personnes handicapées, Répit Québec, le Réseau québécois pour le répit des familles de personnes handicapées, is a provincial collaboration aimed at optimizing the respite experience for families and loved ones of persons who have disabilities throughout Quebec. Its objectives are to sensitize the population and public decision-makers to the challenges faced by families of persons who have disabilities and the organizations that offer them respite care, in order to improve accessibility and ensure the quality of services.
More specifically, Répit Québec's objectives are :
- To inform families and support them throughout the respite experience.
- To promote Québec respite resources and defend the rights of families and their loved ones.
- To establish quality guidelines for respite.
- To support respite providers by providing access to high-quality, customized training.
- Visit the Répit Québec website
Its History
Phase 1: Listening - Chantier répit
In 2019, Solidarité de parents launched a major workshop on respite in Québec for families of people who have disabilities: the Chantier Répit. To carry out this extensive project, the organization partnered with social design teams, first with Katz Design and then with the Pollinis team.
The Chantier répit was set up with the objective of making improvements to ensure better access, greater recognition of quality and consistency in the availability of respite services for families of people who have disabilities.
This phase made it possible to identify the unmet needs, the difficulties encountered, and the unresolved issues for both families and respite workers. This research also helped to understand personal perceptions about the acquisition and provision of respite in Québec.
In July 2019, the first analysis report was published to identify unmet needs, challenges faced, and unresolved issues, as well as to highlight best practices currently being implemented.
Consult the report on Phase 1: LE PORTRAIT QUÉBÉCOIS
Phase 2: Inspiring Initiatives – Chantier répit
In February 2020, the development of an initiative report allowed us to broaden perspectives beyond Québec’s offerings and to provide other angles to the respite issue that complemented the perceptions and experiences of parents and resources who were consulted. This study highlighted initiatives and projects initiated in Québec and elsewhere in the world. We were also able to go beyond the need for respite care as such (rest, stress) and explore more deeply the needs of persons who have disabilities and their families by considering them as part of a whole. This second phase also allowed us to develop a common language and ultimately to value little-known initiatives in Québec.
Consult the report on Phase 2 : LES INITIATIVES INSPIRANTES
Phase 3: Implementation – Chantier répit
Co-construction workshops involving families, respite representatives, public health and social services network partners, university sector representatives, and entrepreneurs helped to paint a detailed picture of the respite experience through 4 major themes related to respite :
-Preparation for respite
-Referral experience
-Relationship-building
-Evolution towards a culture of innovation
Phase 4: Action - Répit Québec
The extensive collaboration process led to a common vision and solutions on how to address it. This phase initiated the implementation of a concrete solution that will ensure an optimal respite experience for families of persons who have disabilities and respite providers. From this phase has risen the Table de concertation provinciale pour le répit.
To learn more about Répit Québec, contact Carolyne Lavoie, Project Manager Répit Québec and Assistant Director of SPPH at carolynelavoie@spph.net or by calling (514) 254-6067 ext. 208.
