Yes. A care sponsor (Marraine tendresse) will be paired with you for the duration of the service. In exceptional circumstances, with your consent or at your request, another care sponsor may take over for a few meetings or to complete the current pairing, for example, if your care sponsor is absent due to illness or vacation.

Yes. Marraine Tendresse offers respite to families according to their situation, either:

• 12 consecutive visits for a family welcoming a baby, for a total of 36 hours;
• 24 consecutive visits for families welcoming twins, for a total of 72 hours;
• 36 consecutive visits for families welcoming triplets, for a total of 108 hours.

No. Our respite service is offered continuously every week, unless an exceptional situation arises (e.g., illness, doctor's appointment, vacation, support from another resource). With few exceptions, it’s important to meet with your care sponsor each week, as many families rely on respite and others may be waiting for a sponsor to become available.

Ideally, meetings will last 3 hours each. However, if you need more support during the first few weeks of your pairing, we suggest discussing this with your care sponsor. Depending on her availability, you could agree on a different schedule for a few meetings (e.g., two 1.5-hour meetings each week for the first two or three weeks).

Please contact your care sponsor as soon as possible if you or a family member (such as a baby, sibling, or parent) has a contagious illness. In most cases, the meeting will be rescheduled for the following week or once there is no longer a risk of spreading the illness. If your care sponsor becomes ill, she will let you know as soon as possible and the meeting will also be rescheduled. Marraine Tendresse places great importance on the health and well-being of everyone and asks that you avoid putting yourself at risk, particularly for contagious illnesses (e.g., gastroenteritis, colds, flu, conjunctivitis, chickenpox, measles, whooping cough, and others).

No. When a meeting is canceled due to illness or other exceptional circumstances, it is postponed: your pairing will therefore end one week later than planned, after agreement with your care sponsor. You will be entitled to the total number of meetings planned for your family, i.e., 12, 24, or 36, depending on your care sponsor's availability.

Ideally, the meetings your family is entitled to take place every week consecutively, without being postponed. However, when circumstances require it, a maximum of three meetings may be postponed, depending on your care sponsor's availability. It is very important to always contact your care sponsor promptly to discuss any necessary adjustments to the time and day of your meetings.

No. Our respite service takes place in your presence at home. You can take advantage of the fact that your care sponsor is looking after your baby to sleep, rest, or do any other indoor activity. You can also go outside to garden, for example.

No. The respite service we offer takes place at your home. However, in exceptional circumstances, your care sponsor may accompany you and your baby to a medical appointment (e.g., for vaccinations). In this exceptional case, your care sponsor may travel with you and your baby in your car or, if you do not have a car, by public transportation or taxi, but under no circumstances may she give you a ride in her car.

Yes, you can go outside to walk your baby, in a stroller or baby carrier, accompanied by your care sponsor. If you need rest and quiet time, your care sponsor can take your baby for a walk in a stroller if you wish. In this case, you will determine the length and distance of the walk that you are comfortable with. Throughout the walk, your care sponsor will make sure that you can reach her on her cell phone.