Foster Home Compliance
How many fire drills are required within a certification period?
2
Fire Drills are required at each intake. If a foster parent does not have youth in their home for the recertification period, 2 fire drills are still required during the certification period.
A 2 year old boy is placed in a foster home. You complete a home visit and notice the walkways throughout the home are cluttered with clothing and other household belongings. You also observe a bottle of lysol spray left sitting on the kitchen table.
Safety - All cleaning products should be stored out of reach of the youth. There must be clear pathways throughout the home.
What do we consider a clear pathway?
Name at least 3 Permanency Goals
Return to Parent/Reunification: Primary Goal in most cases. Agency must make reasonable efforts to support reunification
APPLA - Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement: Only for youth 16+. Requires other permanency options to be ruled out. Focus on independent living planning.
Adoption: Requires TPR or surrender. Provides full legal permanency.
Permanent Placement with a Fit and Willing Relative either through:
Kingap - Kinship Guardian Assistance Program:
Youth must be in FC placement with kinship FP.
FP must be fully certified and youth placed for 6 consecutive months as a foster child.
Agency must determine KinGap is within the youth's best interests.
Kingap Provides a monthly subsidy (similar to FC board rate) and medicaid coverage.
Guardianship:
Caregiver becomes LEGAL guardian.
Birth parents still have rights, unless they have been terminated.
No on-going subsidy or support. Medicaid enrollment is not automatic.
*Both goals allow for permanency without termination of rights. With both goals, parents may petition the court for custody. Parents must present evidence of changed circumstances and demonstrate that the modification is in the child's best interest.
Treatment Plans must have these 4 main goals.
Permanency
Mental Health/Well-being
Developmental/Educational
Medical/Dental
Other goals that may be necessary depending on youth: IL Goals, Safety Goals
FY expresses wanting a hair cut, FP can bring them.
Not automatically, FPs require consent from BPs to make any modifications to the youth's hair or body (piercings, etc.)
Until what age can youth of the opposite gender share a bedroom?
7. Exceptions can be made if the youth are siblings. Exceptions are made based on the youth's individual needs, relationship with their sibling and development.
Considerations: Are there behaviors that may impact the safety of one or both youth? Is sleeping in the same room something that would feel normal for them (maybe at home they shared a bedroom)? What is their sibling relationship like?
A birth parent living on disability struggles to pay for groceries at the end of the month. The parent is motivated to work, but is unable to due to physical limitations. Despite this, the parent ensures that the youth always has a snack and a piece of fruit during visitation. They are very involved in their local church.
Risk.
Although she struggles to pay for groceries, she ensures the youth's needs are met at visits each week. She may be able to lean on her church for support with food pantry or other resources.
This occurs every 6 months in court
Planned Permanency Hearing
What is the OCFS required time frame for holding an SPR prior to the FASP due date.
SPRs must be held within 30 days of the FASP due date.
Best practice is to send SPR letters 3 weeks prior to the SPR. They MUST be sent at least 2 weeks prior. AFCs and DSS CW MUST be present.
Youth should be involved in their case planning.
Fact. Youths 10+ must be invited to their SPR and encouraged to attend. 14+ youth are STRONGLY encouraged to attend and be an active part of their treatment plan. Exceptions can be made based on the youth's current level of need and capacity to understand and be involved in service planning. This exception should be agreed upon with the team and documented in Connections accordingly.
A placement call comes from DSS for 2 siblings. The only foster home you have available has the capacity to take in 3 youth. There are already 2 youth placed in the home. Is it possible to place these youth in this home?
Yes. With Director and County approval, siblings may be placed together. The home finding team and foster parent must determine if the placement is a good match for the home, and if the FPs can adequately meet all youths needs. An interim home study must be completed to increase the FH capacity.
Considerations: Foster home capacity is determined based off of the foster parent's wishes, the team's recommendation and the physical capacity of the foster home.
- Ages of youth in the home, development and needs
- Adults may not sleep in the same room as youth's over the age of 3.
- No more than 3 children can be placed in a room at one time.
- Regardless of physical space in the home, no more than 5 youth may reside in the home at a time under the age of 13.
A child sleeps on a couch long-term due to lack of beds.
Safety.
Foster homes must provide an adequate sleeping space, a bed for each child and space that supports comfort, privacy and well-being.
This can impact the child's well-being and sleep quality as well as emotional security (feeling temporary, less valued). It additionally signals resource concerns - does the home have enough space and capacity - can basic needs be met consistently?
Short term - Risk
Long term - Safety
We should:
1) Address immediately. Clarify with foster parent why a bed does not exist, establish timelines for resolving. Help FP brainstorm solutions.
2) Assess Capacity. Is the home utilizing space appropriately? Are they over capacity?
3) Determine if escalation is needed. Immediate fix? Continue to monitor. Ongoing issue? Escalate.
4) Document clearly. What is your observation? How long has this been occurring (on-going or new issue), what the impact is on the child, discussed timeline for rectification.
5) Follow up. Ensure bed is in place during HVs, child has appropriate space, document accordingly.
Arrange the following in the order in which they occur:
Treatment Plan
Removal
Adoption
Safety Planning
Planned Permanency Hearing
TPR
Safety Planning
Removal
Treatment Plan
Planned Permanency Hearing
TPR
Adoption
List 6 different types of Critical Incidents.
If a birth parent completes all services, reunification must occur.
Myth. Other factors may be present that warrant continued placement.
Examples:
- Lack of appropriate housing
- Child supervision needs
- BP resides with an individual who is unsafe for the youth
Translate that note!
FP said that the firearm policy is stupid and there is no point in having a gun if it isn't loaded. FS told FP it's an OCFS requirement. FS told FP kids are smart and it dangerous to keep a loaded gun out because they can get ahold of it. FP stated that he taught all of his kids about gun safety and they are fine but eventually agreed to keep firearms locked up.
Foster parent (FP) expressed disagreement with the firearm policy, stating that it is unnecessary and questioning the purpose of owning a firearm if it is not kept loaded. Family Specialist (FS) informed the foster parent that the policy is an OCFS requirement and emphasized the safety risks associated with keeping loaded firearms accessible, noting that children may gain access despite precautions. Foster parent responded that their children have been educated on gun safety and there has never been an incident, but ultimately agreed to comply with requirements to keep firearms securely locked, with ammunition stored separately.
A family specialist must bring a youth to a birth parents home for a visit. The birth parent has a history of domestic violence with previous significant others. The parent has never physically harmed their child. The parent has raised their voice in the past, but has never been aggressive or directly threatened a caseworker.
Risk.
Although the birth parent has a history of violence, the parents' behavior toward CW suggests that the CW is likely not in immediate danger.
How can we plan for safety?
Translate that note!
CW said the parents shouldn't be reunified because they're lazy and don't have a 2 br home.
Caseworker has concerns regarding the parents’ ability to consistently follow through with responsibilities necessary to support reunification. Additionally, the family currently lives in a small home, and appropriate sleeping arrangements have not yet been established.
Who can provide documentation to support a higher LOD rate (special, exceptional) for a foster youth?
The three Ps!
Pediatrician
Psychologist
Psychiatrist
You mail an SPR letter to a birth parent and they don't respond. Diligent Efforts are satisfied.
Myth. We need to make significant efforts to engage the birth parent and involve them in their family's service plan. Other methods of outreach: phone, email, face to face, before a visit, asking county CW for help.
Document every effort. You want to prove that you did every thing that you could to get that parent to the table.
Considerations:
BP schedule - visitation, work, other services
BP wifi access
BP transportation access
BP location - do they receive mail?
Technology - do they have a phone?
You attend a home visit and the FP is beginning renovations, adding an addition on to the home. What steps are taken to ensure FH compliance and safety?
- Notify HF immediately. Ensure safety at HV and all future home visits.
***Renovations cannot create unsafe conditions or bring the home out of compliance - even temporarily if children are present.
The home should remain free from hazards to the children's health and safety and comply with state and local building safety laws. No exposed tools, wiring, debris, etc. Safe storage of chemicals, sharp objects. Safe exits and emergency access.
- HF follows up with FP, reviews scope of work and time line
- During renovation, FS continues to ensure safety at all HVs. Any updates or changes during the process should be communicated to HF by FP/FS.
- Once renovations are complete the HF completes:
Safety Review Form
Floor Plan
Interim Home Study (if applicable)
Triggers for an interim HS:
✅ Allowed:
🚫 Not Allowed:
Ask 3 Questions:
1) Did something change?
2) Could it impact safety, supervision or capacity?
3) Would OCFS/TFY want this documented and reassessed?
A youth is hurt in gym class playing hockey and the school nurse called the FP to report she believes it's broken. The foster parent relays this to you via phone and states that they are on their way to pick him up and take him to be seen. List ALL next steps related to this incident.
FS collects details:
FS notifies:
TFY Program Coordinator
Birth parent(s) or Discharge Resource
TFY Nurse
TFY Clinician
TFY Care Manager (if applicable)
TFY PNP (if applicable)
TFY HF
DSS CW
PC notifies:
TFY FC AD/Director
TFY Nursing Director
TFY Clinical AD/Director
TFY Care Management PC (if applicable)
TFY HF PC/Director (if applicable)
TFY HF CPIC (FH Hotlines)
Treatment team collaborates on safety plan, safety plan reviewed with FP
Critical incident report is written by PC, submitted to FC AD/Director
Once approved, CIR is shared with full treatment team including FS CPIC.
Critical incident report is submitted in evolv by FS and approved by PC within 24 hours of incident.
Safety plan completed within 24 hours, signatures obtained within 24 hours. Verbal can be granted temporarily, must be approved by PC/leadership.
Documentation in progress note in connections *hotlines are documented differently*
A 14 year old youth has been in foster care for 20 months. The current permanency goal is reunification. The parent has made significant progress and is close to completing services. Trial discharge is anticipated within the next 1-2 months.
The youth has remained in their foster home for over a year, is doing well in school and has created a strong bond with the foster family. During a recent visit the youth tells you "I don't want to go back. It's just going to be the same again. No one listens to me." The youth has recently become more withdrawn during visits. The youth is attending therapy but has not openly discussed these concerns.
How do you respond?
- Explore concerns further. What specifically are they worried about? What feels different vs. the past? Validate the youth's feelings. The youth is 14 and has a right to be heard.
- Loop in treatment team including clinical and DSS
- Observe and reassess visits. Are concerns supported by behavior? Look for the parents' response to the child's needs, patterns of conflict, child's response to parent engagement.
You are completing a 24 hour intake with a 10 year old girl when she discloses that she engaged in self-harm on more than one occasion about a month ago.
List all areas where this should be documented.
Safety Plan
24 Hour Intake Connections note
A hotline call on a foster home warrants immediate removal of the youth(s) placed.
Myth. When a hotline on a FH occurs, a youth may remain if there are justifiable reasons to believe they are not at risk of impending danger or harm.
1) When a hotline call is made, the PC immediately notifies program leadership and contacts the LDSS supervisor directly. We inform the Supervisor that we learned of an open investigation or are leaning toward calling the SCR and why. We discuss our recommendations for next steps; specifically addressing safety for the youth. Lastly, we determine when it is appropriate for TFY staff to go to the home and review a safety plan with FP (not until after CPS meets with youth and family face to face).
2) Notify the homefinder to identify Plan B and provide support to FPs. If there is the slightest chance we may remove a youth, the HF should immediately begin the process of matching the youth to another foster home or an emergency respite. It may take several hours before we know if a youth needs to be moved or not.
3) Keep HF informed throughout the process so that HF can provide support. HF is also knowledgeable to foster parents' individual strengths and needs which can further support the development of safety plans.
4) Home is changed to do not call in evolv while the investigation remains open.
5) An unannounced home visit must occur within 5 business days.
6) It is important to stay connected with FPs. Check in frequently and help them understand what they can expect. Listen and ensure they are aware that as part of an open investigation, TFY cannot provide details related to the investigation. This is a difficult time for FPs and is one of the most impactful situations that will impact retention. Never disclose, confirm or deny who made the hotline call, even if a FP guesses correctly.
7) Maintain communication with CPS. Updates are essential for determining next steps with FPs.
8) Refrain from directly referencing an open investigation in your documentation. A reported incident at this stage is "alleged." Documentation should reference what the concern is and what we are doing to address this concern.
9) A CIR is completed for all FP involved hotline reports that is accepted. Whether there is currently a child placed or not, a CIR is always completed when there is an open investigation regarding a TFY FP.