Getting Ready for Your Visit

Here’s everything you need to know before your child’s respite stay at Safehaven

Annual Medical Form & 6-Month Medication Review
Prior to confirming your child’s respite visit, we will need a completed copy of the Physical Examination Form or the 6-month Medication Review Form. Both forms need to include a written bowel intervention protocol and any P.R.N. medications from your Physician. The annual completed forms can be:

  • Mailed to: 1173 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6H 1M9
  • Faxed to: 416.535.9782
  • E-mailed to: admin@safehaven.to.

Respite Confirmation Call
Intake and discharge times will be confirmed approximately one week prior to your child’s respite visit. Families/guardians must speak directly with a Safehaven staff member at least three days prior to your child’s respite visit and must complete a Respite Confirmation phone-call. If a member of our team has left a message to request the completion of the confirmation call, please call back at any time to complete the process. If a confirmation call is not complete, your child will not be admitted and we will offer the spot to families on the waitlist.

School
Safehaven promotes continued school attendance during a child’s respite visit. If you want your child/youth to attend school during the week, it is the responsibility of the family/guardian to arrange for transportation for your child prior to admission.

Intake
The intake time will be scheduled during the Respite Confirmation phone-call. The intake process is at least one hour in duration. Families/guardians must be present during the intake process and are responsible for reviewing your child’s Respite Care Plan, medication record and signing off on all admission forms.

Emergency Contact
If your child requires emergency care, it is your responsibility to meet your child in the emergency department of the hospital your child is taken to. If you will be absent during your child’s respite stay, you must give Safehaven the name and number of your emergency contact. It is the responsibility of the emergency contact to meet your child in the emergency department in your absence.

Discharge
Safehaven employees will prepare a Discharge Report at the end of every respite visit summarizing your child/youth’s visit and ensuring all important details are discussed. Families/guardians are required to complete and sign all discharge forms. A body check of your child/youth is also required at each intake and discharge.

Sickness
A child who is ill with an infection or acute illness (i.e. high fever of 38.5 °C) will not be accepted for his/her respite visit until fully recovered. Should a child become sick while in our care, we will call the family/guardian or emergency contact to pick him/her up.

Don't forget to bring...

  • Clothing: Each child/youth must bring appropriate clothing for their visit. Safehaven will not be responsible for any non-labeled articles of clothing that may be lost during the child/youth’s respite stay. Please label all of your child’s clothing with a label or marker.
  • Laundry: Families are to complete the Inventory Checklist prior to the visit and submit this form upon arrival. An inventory list must be thoroughly completed otherwise Safehaven will not be responsible for doing laundry. Safehaven will only complete laundry for children who are staying for more than 2 nights.
  • Toiletries: Each child must bring their own toiletry items such as toothbrushes, deodorant, toothpaste, diapers, shampoo, soap, hairbrushes and anything else that he/she uses daily for grooming/hygiene purposes.
  • Supportive Equipment: Special medical supplies and equipment must be provided by the families/guardians (i.e. gastrostomy tubes, suction machines, nebulizers, syringes, feeding bags and g-tubes, chargers, oxygen, AFOs, etc.). Wheelchairs need to be in good working order.
  • Feeding/Food: If food that is not normally on our menu is required for your child, please bring these foods with you for the length of your child’s stay. Families/guardians are asked to supply enough formulas, specialized foods and supplements with complete instructions for the visit. Please note Safehaven is a nut free facility.
  • Medications: Families/guardians must bring all medication that their child needs with them for the respite visit, along with two (2) extra pills of each medication. All prescribed medications for your child/youth must be labeled in English by a recognized Canadian pharmacy. No corrections can be made on the label. Any over-the-counter medication or cream must be in English and also requires a written order from a doctor. All medication must not be expired.

Any change in medications requires a current pharmacy label and/or a new order from your physician.