Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-202.10 - Services to foster parents

Foster parents shall be provided necessary supportive services for the purpose of aiding them in the care and supervision of the child. These services shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Availability of social service staff on a 24-hour basis in case of emergency.

(2) Conferences to develop in-depth planning regarding family visits, expectations of the department, future objectives and time frames, use of resources, and termination of placements. The department or the department's agent shall consider the needs and scheduling demands of a child, the child's parents, the child's siblings, and the resource parent caring for the child when scheduling supervised or any other visitation between the child and the child's siblings, family members, or fictive kin. The department shall not require a resource parent to conduct or be present during scheduled supervised visits.

(3) Visitation by the service worker at least monthly regardless of the duration of the placements.

(4) Notifying a resource parent of any appropriate meetings relating to the case permanency plan of a child that are known to the department, including individualized education program meetings and any medical appointments required or scheduled.

(5) Making available all known pertinent information needed for the care of the child with a communicable disease, including safety-related information and special confidentiality requirements.

a. Before releasing specific information about a communicable disease, the department shall use a Communicable Diseases General Agreement to obtain a release from the child or the child's parent or guardian, or a court order permitting the release of the information.

b. Safety-related information shall be withheld only if:

(1) Withholding the information is ordered by the court; or

(2) The department or the agency developing the service plan determines that providing the information would be detrimental to the child or to the family with whom the child is living.

c. When continued breastfeeding of the child is determined to be in the best interest of the child, the service worker and the foster parents shall make reasonable efforts to support the continued breastfeeding of the child by the mother.

(6) Notifying a resource parent of any change in law or regulation that is known to the department that would have a substantive impact on the resource parent's obligations and responsibilities relating to family foster care.

(7) Providing a resource parent with a written report that details the conclusions of any investigation conducted by the department that may affect a resource parent's ability to provide family foster care.

(8) Maintaining a process to allow a resource parent to file complaints with the department electronically.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 234.6(6) "b."

Notes

Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-202.10

Amended by IAB August 21, 2024/Volume XLVII, Number 5, effective 10/1/2024