Respite care:outcomes for kinship and non-kinship caregivers.

This study reports the outcomes associated with the use of formal respite care services among a sample of kinship, foster and adoptive caregivers of special needs children involved in the child welfare system. It uses pre-post survey research data collection methods to evaluate changes in caregivers' ratings of their quality of life, health, stress, support, objective and subjective burden, stress, and family relations. Caregivers reported reduced stress, improved quality of life, and significantly decreased feelings of objective burden as a result of respite. Suggestions for improving and evaluating respite care outcomes are provided. doi:10.1300/J045v22n03_06.