(1) The visit
and contact plan.
(a) The caseworker must
create a visit and contact plan that ensures child or young adult
safety.
(b) The visit and contact
plan must be created when the child or young adult first enters substitute care
or at the time of the first court hearing required by ORS 419B.183, whichever
is first.
(c) The visit and contact
plan may be written by Department staff but must be approved by the caseworker
or their supervisor.
(d) The court
may make an order regarding visitation between the child or young adult's
parents, siblings, or grandparents.
(e) If the first visit with the parent or
guardian does not occur within the first week of a child or young adult's
placement in substitute care, the caseworker must document the reason the visit
did not occur in case notes in the Department's electronic information
system.
(f) The caseworker must
provide a copy of the visit and contact plan to the parents or guardians, the
child or young adult as age and developmentally appropriate, and to other
people participating in the visit and contact plan.
(g) In developing the visit and contact plan,
the caseworker must involve:
(A) The parents
or guardians; and
(B) The child or
young adult, if appropriate, based on the child or young adult's age and
developmental capabilities.
(h) The caseworker may involve the following
entities to participate in the development of the visit and contact plan and in
facilitating visitation:
(A) Grandparents and
other relatives;
(B) Safety service
or treatment providers;
(C) The
substitute caregiver; and
(D)
Tribal representative (if applicable).
(i) Family members, safety service providers
and the substitute caregiver should be encouraged to facilitate visitation and
support the safety plan.
(j) A copy
of the written plan may be given to each participant. The visits must occur in
the least restrictive manner in which the child or young adult's safety can be
managed and must support the best interests of the child or young adult and any
orders of the court regarding visitation with the child or young adult's
parents, siblings, or grandparents.
(k) The visit and contact plan must be
reviewed every 90 days and may be reviewed and revised at any time. When a
visit and contact plan is revised, the caseworker completes a revised visit and
contact plan and provides a copy of the revised plan to each
participant.
(l) A plan that
prohibits a parent or guardian's visit or contact must include the reason for
each prohibition and state, if applicable, the conditions under which the
Department would begin or resume contact.
(m) The caseworker must document the
implementation of the visit and contact plan in the case plan.
(n) The visit and contact plan must include
the following:
(A) The purpose and conditions
of visits and contacts including type (in-person, via phone, etc.), time of
day, frequency, length, and location;
(B) Describe the reason for and level of
supervision when supervision is required;
(C) Identify the individual who will
supervise the visit or assist a parent or guardian in meeting the needs of the
child or young adult during visitation;
(D) Support the safety plan; and
(E) Use language that parents or guardians
and the child or young adult can understand and, whenever possible, be written
in the caregiver's preferred language.
(o) In developing a visit and contact plan,
the caseworker must:
(A) Arrange visits so
that the type, time of day, frequency, length, and location of visits maximize
contact between the parents or guardians and siblings and the child or young
adult, support the safety plan and support the child or young adult's
permanency plan as described in OAR
413-070-0855(2) and (3);
(B) Meet the unique needs of the child or
young adult, especially considering the child or young adult's chronological or
developmental age and sense of time as they affect the child or young adult's
attachment to a parent or guardian and other family members;
(C) Arrange visits that do not disrupt the
school schedule of the child or young adult whenever possible;
(D) Arrange additional contact such as
telephone calls, email, video calls, social media, letters, and other
activities the family, siblings, and child or young adult may do together that
support the ongoing safety plan, such as attendance by parents or guardians at
medical appointments, school events, and religious or spiritual
activities;
(E) Address barriers to
visitation for the parent, guardian, siblings, child or young adult to
participate in visits, including reasonable modifications necessary due to
disability, auxiliary aids or services, transportation, adaptations for those
traveling long distances, health care requirements, and arranging child care
for a child or young adult's sibling;
(F) Work within each parent's or guardian's
employment and treatment obligations as much as possible;
(G) Ensure the visit and contact plan
considers the safety needs of any non-offending parent or guardian in cases
involving domestic violence including, but not limited to, different visiting
schedules or arranging safe drop-off and pick-up locations;
(H) Explain to a parent or guardian the
results of not attending visits;
(I) Explain the known or anticipated reasons
for ending a visit (such as health or safety);
(J) Learn about and understand culturally
relevant visitation needs, language appropriate visitation services, and take
the actions necessary to ensure these needs are met; and
(K) Discuss alternatives when visits are
canceled.
(2)
The sibling visit and contact plan.
(a) Within
30 days of the date that a child or young adult enters substitute care, the
caseworker must develop a written sibling visit and contact plan that supports
child safety, the ongoing safety plan, the best interests of the child or young
adult and any court orders regarding visitation.
(b) In developing the sibling visit and
contact plan, the caseworker:
(A) Must
actively engage the child or young adult, each sibling of the child or young
adult in substitute care and seek the participation of any other sibling not in
substitute care, to the extent that it is safe and appropriate to do so, based
on the age and developmental stage of the child or young adult and the sibling;
and
(B) May involve the following
individuals:
(i) Parents or guardians of the
child or young adult;
(ii) Any
family member of the child or young adult;
(iii) Safety service or treatment
providers;
(iv) The substitute
caregiver of the child or young adult;
(v) The parents or guardians of the child or
young adult's sibling;
(vi) The
substitute caregiver of the child or young adult's sibling; and
(vii) Any other appropriate person.
(C) Must arrange for visits that
do not disrupt the school schedule of the child or young adult or the child or
young adult's siblings, whenever possible;
(D) Must address any barriers to visitation
that must be overcome for the child or young adult and his or her siblings to
participate in the visits, including reasonable modifications necessary due to
disability, auxiliary aids or services, transportation, adaptations for those
travelling long distances, and health care requirements;
(E) Must consider the schedule of each
substitute caregiver and, if applicable, parent, guardian, or caregiver of the
child or young adult's siblings;
(F) Must arrange additional contact between
the child or young adult and his or her siblings such as telephone calls,
email, and letters, and other activities the siblings may do together that
support the ongoing safety plan;
(G) Learn about and understand culturally
relevant visitation needs, language appropriate visitation services, and take
the actions necessary to ensure these needs are met;
(H) Must explain the known or anticipated
reasons for ending a visit (such as health or safety);
(I) Must discuss alternatives when visits are
canceled; and
(J) Must explain to
the substitute caregiver the requirements of sibling visits and discuss how the
substitute caregiver can assist with and facilitate sibling contact and
visits.
(c) The sibling
visit and contact plan must:
(A) Meet the
unique needs of the child or young adult, especially the child or young adult's
chronological or developmental age and sense of time as they affect the child
or young adult's attachment to a sibling;
(B) Provide for any visits to occur in the
least restrictive way in which the child or young adult's siblings' safety can
be managed;
(C) Include the
conditions of visits and contacts between the child or young adult and his or
her siblings, including type, time of day, frequency, length and
location;
(D) Describe the reason
for and level of supervision for visits or contact when supervision is
required;
(E) Identify, in
consultation with the caregivers and child or young adult, individuals who will
supervise the visit or assist a parent or guardian in meeting the needs of the
child or young adult and, if applicable, the child or young adult's siblings
during a visit;
(F) Maximize safe
and appropriate contact between the child or young adult and his or her
siblings; and
(G) If the plan
prohibits a child or young adult from visiting with or having contact with a
sibling, include the reason for each prohibition and state, if applicable, the
conditions under which the Department would begin or resume contact.
(d) The caseworker must provide a
copy of the sibling visit and contact plan to the child or young adult, each
sibling participating in the plan, the child or young adult's substitute
caregiver, and if applicable, the parent, guardian or caregiver of each
sibling.
(e) The caseworker must
document the implementation of the sibling visit and contact plan in the case
plan.
(f) If changes are made to
the sibling visit and contact plan, the caseworker must complete a revised
sibling visit and contact plan and provide a copy of the revised plan to the
child or young adult, each sibling participating in the plan, the child or
young adult's substitute caregiver, and if applicable, the parent, guardian or
caregiver of each sibling.