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Parent Roles - Employer
Part 3 of 4 Learning modules
Introduction
Many families assume multiple roles that extend beyond typical roles
associated with family functioning as a result of caring for their child.
In this module, we will explore parent roles as employers from
perspectives of a role strain approach and a role enhancement
approach. Although each role is presented separately, in reality there
is great overlap and interplay between these roles.
Adopting these
roles has implications for how families cope or adjust to the demands
in their lives, but also influences how practitioners and professionals
will engage, interact work with families.
This software is licensed
under the BC Commons License.
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Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to

Describe the concepts of role strain approach and role
enhancement approach

Identify parents’ roles as Caregiver, Service Recipient,
Employer, and Advocate
o Develop an awareness of families as employers

Reflect on the implications of each role as applied to role
strain and role enhancement.
Employer Readings
Autism Community Training. 2011. Information for Parents: accessing
the RASP list. http://www.actcommunity.net/registry-of-autismservice-providers/information-for-parents.html#RASPAccess
Batstone, D. (2011). Selecting a professional. Autism manual for BC:
Chapter 3. Retrieved at http://www.actcommunity.net/autisminformation/autism-treatment/selecting-a-professional.html
Drysdale, M. (n.d.). Setting up your ABA team: Employee or
contractor? Autism funding in B.C. Retrieved at
http://asdfunding.com/default.aspx
Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government. (2011).
Employee or Independent Contractor Factsheet. B.C.
Government.
http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/facshts/employee.htm
Worksafe B.C. (2011) http://www.worksafebc.com/default.asp
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Reviewing: Role Enhancement or Role Strain
The following definitions outline the perspective of role
enhancement and role strain. As you work through each section,
be prepared to consider these approaches as they pertain to each
module.
As the individual’s and family’s needs change over time, there are
circumstances throughout the families’ lives that will change the
balance or degree to which these roles will have significant impact
or applicability (Vaydanoff & Donnelly, 1999).
Role Strain
Approach
This approach suggests that the more roles a
family member assumes as a result of their
caregiving activities, the greater the demands are
for time and an increased probability of role
conflicts. As the number of roles increase, the
higher the degree of role strain and conflict,
resulting in greater psychological distress.
Role
Enhancement
Approach
This approach suggests that participating in
multiple roles can benefit families as increased
participation in these roles can provide rewards
and positive outcomes that assist in their
caregiving efforts. Role enhancement is perceived
to outweigh the psychological impact of role strain
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due to the benefits realized.
1. Role as Employer
Some families seek to have greater control and influence over
thetype of resources they use and how they will be allocated. In
this section, we will explore the options families have for
recruitment and retention of staff as well as the associated
responsibilities with those choices. While having the option to use
funds in a self directed manner is an option not all families will
select, those that do must be aware and understand federal and
provincial laws that define the relationship as well as the reporting
mechanisms specific to each governing body.
Why does this matter?

Families can be held liable for breach of federal and
provincial laws

Families can be held liable for up to 7 years, long after an
employee has left

Families can lose funding due to perceived mismanagement
of funds, however the individual receiving supports does not
lose funding. Rather the contract is awarded to another
service provider, reducing the family’s ability to control their
resources.

Families can experience significant financial hardship as a
result of not knowing about or understanding the laws.

A lack of knowledge or understanding of the laws does not
preclude families from experiencing consequences related to
breaching any of the acts or associated processes

Practitioners may find that they are held liable or are
ineligible for benefits that they may have thought they were
entitled to. i.e. maternity benefits, unemployment
insurance). They must ensure that the employers portion of
all benefits are paid (i.e. C.P.P., E.I)
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Defining the working relationship
There are a few ways that families can enter into a working
relationship with practitioners:
o Families who receive funding through the Autism Funding, AtHome and Individualized Funding streams may choose to
work in partnership with an agency to manage staffing and
financial accountability measures associated with the
particular funds. Families must choose an agency that has a
solid reputation around working collaboratively with families
and individuals. This is often through word of mouth with
other families!
o For those who opt to have more control over their resources
can do so by hiring their own staff and managing
accountability measures required by the funder(s).
o Some families may be ineligible for certain types of funding or
may need to use their own resources to recruit and maintain
practitioners in their home. In this case, families will hire
practitioners privately.
Should the last two options be pursued, families must be aware of the
legal definitions that define the nature of the working relationship with
practitioners as well as what constitutes an “employee” vs. and
“independent contractor”.
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According to the Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open
Government, there are two ways to interpret “families as employers”:
Contractual interpretation:
When families decide to hire practitioner or consultant under a
contract, the following circumstances apply:

The family is paying the person

A contract must be in place spelling out the terms and conditions
of the relationship.

The family is hiring the person because of their expertise,
knowledge, skills and tools/materials. An independent Behaviour
Consultant would be a good example of this type of working
relationship. However, the family must be aware that just
because someone says they are a consultant, does not make
them one. Revenue Canada will be the final decision maker in all
situations where the nature of the working relationship is in
question. (Note: Behaviour interventionists should be aware
that 9 times of 10, the person has been deemed to be an
employee)!
Employer/employee interpretation:
An employer/employee relationship is deemed to exist where the
family has more control over the working relationship. This would
include such items as providing training, directing the hours of work,
using materials and tools that belong to the family.
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When this type of working relationship exists, families must satisfy
criteria of 3 governing bodies:
o Revenue Canada
o Employment Standards
o Worksafe BC
Each governing body has different tests to determine whether or not a
worker is deemed an employee or contractor. Although it may appear
to be cut and dry, there are many circumstances that make it more
challenging as the criteria that each body has developed is not always
in alignment.
For example:
A family decides to contract with a behaviour interventionist who
is not associated with any agency. They draw up a contract and
assume they have met the terms under associated with being an
“independent contractor”. However, this is the behaviour
interventionist’s sole source of income and he/she is using
materials supplied by the family in order to support the child. As
a result, Revenue Canada would most likely rule that this is an
employee/employer relationship and the family would be liable.
If the behaviour interventionist had a key to the person’s home,
Employment Standards would likely rule that the person is an
employee and the family would be liable.
Why would this be problematic?
When hiring an independent contractor, families are not required to
pay CPP, IE, or WCB premiums. They would be on the hook to submit
remittances backdating to the start date of employment plus any
associated penalties. It is incumbent on both parties to
determine the tax/non tax status, employee or independent
contractor status in order to protect themselves. In either
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event, families are encouraged to get Personal Option
Protection Coverage to protect themselves in the event of error
and to minimize their risk.
For more information, check out the Employee or Independent
Contractor Fact Sheet.
Beyond the legalities of the relationship
Beyond the legal relationship that exists between practitioners and
families, there are other challenges that emerge when working out of
the home for both families and practitioners.
For example:
o Personal and professional boundaries may be unclear; it is
critical that families have a job description and employment
agreement outlining the relationship and responsibilities to help
prevent issues in this area.
o Families may be over accommodating employees for fear that
they will lose the practitioner. This has implications for the
balance of power that is assumed in these types of situations as
well as the extra “work” involved to make these
accommodations. For example, some families may adjust their
scheduling to accommodate the practitioner’s life and work
schedule at the expense of what might work best for their child
or family situation.
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o Practitioners may not show up as scheduled, resulting in families
dealing with the fall out. This may include dealing with a child’s
disappointment, personal employment issues for the parents and
/ or jeopardizing the trust that has been established with the
practitioner.
o Practitioners quitting without due notice. As with the previous
point, the consequences have greater implications the require
time, energy and resources to recruit new practitioners.
o Practitioner isolation can be an issue when working in a family
home. Although the practitioner may have a good working
relationship with the family, peer support is also essential.
o Awkward situations regarding family dynamics where a
practitioner is privy to family arguments, concerns and lifestyles.
o Loss of family privacy and issues related to confidentiality about
the child and the family.
o Families spending inordinate amount of time recruiting to
maintain their hiring needs or dealing with employment issues
(i.e. BI team group dynamics, consistency in approaches,
employee theft, etc.)
o Families taking extra liberties that extend beyond the nature of
the working relationship i.e. A family asks the BI if they mind
babysitting an extra hour due to a work commitment they have.
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Although we will explore some of these issues in other modules, it is
essential that both families and practitioners define the formal and
informal nature of the relationship early on to ensure a positive and
productive experience for all parties.
1.1.
A walk in the shoes of a “Parent Employer”
Stepping in the shoes of parents for a moment, let’s explore some of
the roles families play as employers. For purpose of this module, we
will explore a very small segment of the decisions Parents as
Employers must make so you can develop an awareness of some of
the challenges that extend beyond the typical family functions.
The following resources have been provided for you as you complete
the following activity.
Employer Readings/Resources
Autism Community Training. 2011. Information for Parents:
accessing the RASP list. http://www.actcommunity.net/registry-ofautism-service-providers/information-for-parents.html#RASPAccess
Batstone, D. (2011). Selecting a professional. Autism manual for
BC: Chapter 3. Retrieved at http://www.actcommunity.net/autisminformation/autism-treatment/selecting-a-professional.html
Drysdale, M. (n.d.). Setting up your ABA team: Employee or
contractor? Autism funding in B.C. Retrieved at
http://asdfunding.com/default.aspx
Ministry of Children and Family Development. Autism Program:
Request to pay service providers/suppliers.
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/pdf/cf_0925.pdf
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Ministry of Children and Family Development: Autism Programs:
Reimbursement for Autism Expenses
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/pdf/cf_0926.pdf
Ministry of Children and Family Development: Sample Service
Provider Invoice
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/forms.htm
Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government.
Employee or Independent Contractor Factsheet.
http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/facshts/employee.htm
Worksafe B.C. (2011) http://www.worksafebc.com/default.asp
1.1.1.
Finding a Behaviour Consultant &
Behaviour Interventionist
Once families have obtained Autism funding, they must pursue the
task of selecting a Behaviour Consultant that will fit with their
values, and needs for educational qualifications, experience, and
particular expertise. Your task as the parent is to:

Review the RASP list and analyze the different qualities
and characteristics that you would use to select a
consultant for your 4-year-old child who has autism.

Identify what factors informed your preferences for
different qualities and characteristics.

Since no central list exists for behaviour interventionists,
where would you look when recruiting?

Share your findings with your small group.

What differences do you notice between your criteria?
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1.1.2.
Preparing your interview
You have now made your decision about the consultant you would like
to hire. (Please note that you do not have to identify real consultants,
I’m looking at generalities only so your consultant may be viewed as
fictional). As a parent, you will be required to prepare an interview.
Your tasks is to:

Identify 3 questions you think would be important to you
and your family to ask during the interview before making
your final decision.

Identify 3 questions you would ask potential behaviour
interventionists.

Share your questions with your small group and discuss
the similarities or differences.
1.1.3.
Determining whether you should recruit
employees or independent consultants.
Families that elect to recruit behaviour interventionists or other
practitioners to work from their home, must make some significant
decisions pertaining to the nature of the working relationship. Your
task as the parent is to decide which direction will best serve your
interests. Your task is to read:

Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open
Government. Employee or Independent Contractor
Factsheet.
http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/facshts/employee.htm
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
Drysdale, M. (n.d.). Setting up your ABA team: Employee
or contractor? Autism funding in B.C. Retrieved at
http://asdfunding.com/default.aspx

Answer the following question in your small group and post
your answer:
Drysdale (n.d.) suggests that families would be
better off to contract with interventionists. After
reading the government fact sheet, do you agree or
disagree. Why or why not?
Discussion Forum:
If you were a parent undergoing the process putting a BI team
together, how would you view the process in terms of a role
enhancement vs. role strain approach? Why? Post your response
in the discussion forum.
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Closing Comments
In each section, you have had an opportunity to explore and reflect
upon the roles of families through the perspective of being employers.
With each role that a family or family member assumes, there will be
implications for coping and adapting to these complex roles as viewed
through a role strain or role enhancement approach. As practitioners,
we must be aware of these implications in order to support individuals
and their families most effectively. Not every family will respond the
same or desire high levels of involvement in some of these roles. As
such, we must adjust our interactions and support strategies to reflect
the impact they have on families as well as supporting their
overarching goals.
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Checklist
Have you completed the following for each section?
Employer section
Read:
1. Autism Community Training (2011). Information for parents:
Accessing the RASP list.
2. Batstone, D. (2011). Selecting a professional
3. Drysdale, M. (n.d.) Setting up your ABA team: Employee or
contractor?
4. Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government.
(2011). Employee or independent contractor factsheet.
Reviewed and completed

Finding a Behavior Consultant & Behaviour Interventionist
Activity
o Identify qualities and characteristics
o Share findings with small group
o Discuss differences between your criteria

Preparing for an interview
o Prepare 3 questions that would be relevant to your family
when selecting a behaviour consultant
o Prepare 3 questions that would be relevant to your family
when selecting a behaviour interventionist
o Discuss similarities and differences in your questions with
small group

Recruitment of an employee or contractor?
o Analyze decision making required for recruiting an
employee or contractor based upon selected readings.
o Post response in discussion forum
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References:
Autism Community Training (ACT) - Autism Manual for BC – Chapter
Three: MCFD Funded Services for Children with ASD
http://www.actcommunity.net/images/stories/PDF/PM%20ch5%
20rev12oct10.pdf
Autism Community Training. 2011. Information for Parents: accessing
the RASP list. http://www.actcommunity.net/registry-of-autismservice-providers/information-for-parents.html#RASPAccess
Batstone, D. (2011). Selecting a professional. Autism manual for BC:
Chapter 3. Retrieved at http://www.actcommunity.net/autisminformation/autism-treatment/selecting-a-professional.html
Benjamin, A., Franke, T., Matthias, R. and Park, E. (n.d.) Consumer
Direction and In-Home Services: Recipients Perspectives on
Family and Non-Family Service Provision. Journal of
Rehabilitation Administration, 22(4). P. 233-247
Darula, B. (2009). The value of caregivers for individuals with autism.
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Value-of-Caregivers-ForIndividuals-With-Autism&id=3944818
Drysdale, M. (n.d.). Setting up your ABA team: Employee or
contractor? Autism funding in B.C. Retrieved at
http://asdfunding.com/default.aspx
Ministry of Children and Family Development. Autism Program:
Request to pay service providers/suppliers.
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/pdf/cf_0925.pdf
Ministry of Children and Family Development: Autism Programs:
Reimbursement for Autism Expenses
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/pdf/cf_0926.pdf
Ministry of Children and Family Development: Sample Service Provider
Invoice http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/forms.htm
Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government. Employee
or Independent Contractor Factsheet.
http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/facshts/employee.htm
Worksafe B.C. (2011) http://www.worksafebc.com/default.asp
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Resource
The CASS Behaviour Intervention Provincial Partnership created this
resource, funded through BCcampus as part of the Online Program
Development Fund.
This resource is licensed under the BC Commons v. 2.0
Author(s)
Institution(s)
Title
Description
Date Created
Education Level
Key Words / Tags
License
Sandra Polushin
Douglas College
Parent Roles - Caregiver
This module is part 3 of 4 and
explores the family role as
employers from a role strain &
role enhancement approach
June 2011
Lower level Post Secondary
Autism, Autism Spectrum
Disorder, Family Roles, Family as
Employers, Family as Service
Recipients, Family as Advocates,
autism, disability, role
enhancement, role strain
BC Commons v. 2.0