Respite Care jobs

About Sequoia Support Services
Sequoia Support Services Ltd. is a community living agency that provides residential and respite supports for children and youth with complex needs in partnership with the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Our mission is to create person-centered support that fosters independence, dignity, and well-being for each individual. We are recruiting caring, stable families to open their homes for respite, with a Sequoia Coordinator supporting you throughout.

The role
Provide safe, structured, welcoming respite in your home for youth with complex support needs. Placements come in two formats:

• One youth, 14 days per month, or
• Two youths, 14 days each per month, on a rotating basis. One youth stays for 14 days and leaves, and the second arrives the next day for their 14 days. The youth never overlap in your home.

You are the caregiver in your home during each placement, and you are never on your own. A Sequoia Coordinator provides check-ins and home visits, and is on call for support and emergencies whenever you need them. The Coordinator oversees each placement, stays in contact with each youth's primary caregivers, and follows up on any incidents.

You will have access to each youth's safety plan and support strategies before the placement starts, and you will be expected to follow them.

What you'll do

• Provide a safe, predictable, respectful home environment
• Follow each youth's individual support plan, behaviour support strategies, safety plan, and agency policies
• Support daily living goals, independence, and social development through structured routines and engagement
• Use trauma-informed, person-centered, and de-escalation approaches, including crisis intervention when needed
• Build positive, trusting relationships through consistency, empathy, and healthy communication
• Assist with personal care and meal preparation
• Encourage recreational, educational, and community activities
• Transport youth to activities and school where required
• Prepare the home for each new arrival, resetting the room and adjusting routines at changeover
• Document weekly notes, incidents, and observations in agency-approved systems such as ShareVision
• Contact the on-call Coordinator when you need support, and report incidents promptly
• Communicate regularly with your Sequoia Coordinator and the youth's primary caregivers, and welcome scheduled home visits

Requirements (each adult providing care)

• Diploma or degree in Child and Youth Care, Social Services, Psychology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Previous experience working with children and youth in residential care or community support settings (experience with trauma, mental health, or behavioural challenges is an asset)
• Knowledge of trauma-informed practice, positive behaviour support, and child development principles
• Ability to build rapport, set boundaries, and manage challenging behaviours professionally and empathetically
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Valid Class 5 driver's licence with a clean driver's abstract, and access to a reliable vehicle with business insurance and $3,000,000 liability coverage
• Current First Aid and CPR certification
• Food Safe certification (asset)
• Negative TB test and clear health certificate
• MCFD Criminal Record Check for Youth (HUB clearance)
• MANDT certification (training provided by Sequoia at no cost upon successful application)
• Ability to lift a minimum of 20 lbs and support physically active youth when required

Home and household requirements

• HUB clearance and a Criminal Record Check for all adults in the household
• Reference checks, interview, and ID verification
• Home study and safety screening, including a first aid kit in the home and vehicle, an evacuation plan, a disaster kit, and no unsecured hazards (stairs, clutter, unsecured sharps, medications, or cleaning products)
• A dedicated bedroom with a bed for each youth
• A household that can handle back-to-back placements with a fresh start for each youth
• Disclosure of all pets and other household members
• Willingness to follow each youth's safety plan and keep it confidential

Training (provided by Sequoia before placement)
MANDT de-escalation, Positive Behaviour Support and trauma-informed care, privacy and confidentiality (FOIPPA), abuse prevention and reporting, WHMIS, Food Safe, medication support where applicable, and orientation specific to each youth, including a walkthrough of their safety plan.

Compensation

• $3,500 to $5,000 per month, paid as a flat monthly rate
• Your rate is set when you're matched, based on the number of youth placed with you, their support needs, and the number of days of care
• The rate does not change with the exact number of days in a given month, and there is no per-day charge
• Monthly funding for each youth's food, activities, and personal needs
• Paid training and on-call Coordinator support

Details

• Type: Contract / subcontracted respite provider
• Schedule: 14 days per month (one youth) or two back-to-back 14-day placements per month (two youth), recurring monthly
• Location: Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, or Port Moody, BC, in your own home

Sequoia is committed to inclusive, respectful homes. Families of all compositions and backgrounds are welcome to apply.

To apply
Apply through Indeed and include:

• Your resume, covering caregiving, child and youth, or support experience (paid, volunteer, or as a foster or family caregiver), and any relevant education or certifications
• A short introduction about you and your family: who you are, why you want to provide respite, and what a typical day at home looks like
• Your household: how many people live in your home, including the number of adults and children and the children's ages (no names needed at this stage)
• Your home: whether you can provide a bedroom with a bed for each youth placed with you (one youth at a time), and whether that bedroom is separate from the household's own
• Any pets in the home
• Your availability for 14 days per month, or for two back-to-back 14-day placements

Only the adults who will provide care need a resume. Shortlisted families will be contacted for an interview and home study.

Pay: $3,500.00-$5,000.00 per month

Application question(s):

• Do you have a private bedroom with a bed available for a youth in your home?
• Are you willing to complete HUB (MCFD) clearance and a Criminal Record Check for Children and Vulnerable Adults, and will all adults in your household do the same?
• Do you hold a valid Class 5 driver's licence?
• Do you have access to a reliable vehicle with business insurance and $3,000,000 liability coverage, or can you get it before starting?
• Are you available for 14 days per month, or for two back-to-back 14-day placements each month?
• How many years of experience do you have working with children or youth with complex needs?
• Do you have experience with trauma, mental health, behavioural challenges, autism, or FASD?
• How many people live in your home, and what are the adults' and children's ages?
• Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
• Why do you want to provide respite care?

Work Location: In person