Utah Admin. Code R501-12-6 - Foster Parent Requirements
(1) The foster
parent shall:
(a) be in good health and
emotionally stable;
(b) be able to
provide for the physical, social, mental health, and emotional needs of the
foster child;
(c) be a responsible
person who is 18 years of age or older;
(d) be able to communicate with the foster
child, the department, health care providers and other service
providers;
(e) have at least one
functionally literate applicant in the home able to read medication labels and
other critical information;
(f)
provide documentation of legal residential status in accordance with
8 U.S.C. Sec.
1642;
(g) have the ability to help the foster child
thrive;
(h) demonstrate financial
responsibility without dependence on the foster care reimbursement for their
own expenses, outside of those expenses directly associated with providing
foster care services;
(i) provide
updated medical, social, financial, or other family information when requested
by OL or the agency;
(j) follow
federal, state and local laws and ordinances;
(k) demonstrate safe parenting practices by
not engaging in conduct that poses a substantial risk of harm to any person or
that is illegal or grounds for denying a license under Section
26B-2-703; and
(I) cooperate with the custodial agency goals
and requirements regarding permanency, reunification, education, health care,
and any other services required by the child's treatment plan or involved
professionals.
(2)
(a) A department employee may not be licensed
or certified as a foster parent for children in the custody of their respective
custodial agency, unless they qualify as a relative to the child in accordance
with Subsection
80-2a-101(5).
(b) An employee may provide foster services
for children in the custody of a different custodial agency only with the
written approval of both custodial agency directors in accordance with
department conflict of interest policy.
(3) The foster parent shall cooperate with
department, the agency, if applicable, courts, and law enforcement
officials.
(4) The foster parent
shall read, acknowledge, and comply with the department provider code of
conduct, as outlined in Rule R380-80.
(a) The
foster parent may not abuse, neglect, or maltreat a foster child through any
act or omission.
(b) The foster
parent may not encourage or fail to deter the acts or omissions of another that
abuse, neglect, or maltreat a foster child.
(5) No more than two children under the age
of two, including children who are members of the household and foster
children, shall reside in a foster home.
(6) No more than two non-ambulatory children,
including children who are members of the household and foster children, shall
reside in a foster home.
(7) A
foster parent may not have more than the numerical limit of foster children in
a foster home in accordance with Section
26B-2-128.
(8) The foster parent shall utilize
reasonable and prudent judgment in selecting an incidental caregiver for a
foster child and incidental care may only be utilized by a department licensed
foster parent, not a foster parent certified by a licensed child-placing foster
care agency.
(9)
(a) The foster parent may provide respite
care in their home as long as they remain in compliance with licensing rules in
regard to each child placed for foster and respite care.
(b) The foster parent may provide respite
care when the additional foster children exceed their licensed capacity only
if:
(i) there are no licensing sanctions
currently imposed, including corrective action plans or conditional licenses;
and
(ii) the total number of foster
and respite children in a home does not exceed six unless all except one or two
of the children are part of a single sibling
group.
(10)
(a) Respite care, child care, incidental
care, emergency care, or other temporary care for a foster child may be allowed
in a licensed or unlicensed setting, with or without background checks if the
child's the department client record identifies, by name, the individual's role
in preserving connection.
(b) The
department custodial agency shall set parameters and oversee the safety aspects
of a setting identified for preserving connection.
(c) Unlicensed kinship respite caregivers,
identified by department, remain subject to licensure background check
requirements and a custodial agency walk-through of the home for safety
approval.
(d) A licensed
child-placing foster care agency, except a department custodial agency, may not
utilize an unlicensed caregiver for care of any foster child, unless
specifically outlined in the custodial agency client record and authorized by
the child's case worker.
(11) The foster parent or the agency shall
report the following major changes or events to OL within one business day:
(a) the death or serious illness of a member
of the foster parent's household;
(b) change in marital status;
(c) loss of employment;
(d) change in household composition,
including the birth or adoption of a child, or the addition of household
members or tenants;
(e) allegations
of abuse or neglect of any child or vulnerable adult against any member of the
foster parent's household;
(f) any
material change; and
(g) anything
defined as a "critical incident" in Rule R380-600.
(12) OL or the agency shall evaluate major
changes to determine necessary actions that may include an update to the home
study, implementation of a safety plan, amendments to the license
certification, request for new references or examinations, or agency
action.
(13)
(a) The foster parent shall report any
potential change in address in advance to OL or the agency.
(b) A license or certification is
site-specific.
(c) An adjoining
dwelling with a separate address that is not accessible from the foster home is
not considered part of the foster home site.
(d) A foster child may not be moved into a
home that is not licensed or certified to provide foster care except as allowed
in Subsection R380-600-4(4)(d)
for relocation of a license.
(e)
The foster parent shall reside at the license location when a foster child is
placed in their care.
(f) In the
event of a separation or divorce:
(i) OL or
the agency shall remove the foster parent who no longer resides at the licensed
or certified location from the license or certificate and that foster parent
shall apply for and meet licensing or certification requirements in the new
residence to become licensed or certified at the new location; and
(ii) the foster parent remaining in the home
shall demonstrate the ability to continue to meet the financial and other
foster care licensure or certification requirements and OL or the agency shall
complete an update to the home study.
(14) The foster parent shall offer
nutritious, balanced meals that meet each foster child's individual
needs.
(15)
(a) The foster parent with a foster placement
in the home shall continually comply with Rule R501-12.
(b) The foster parent with no placements in
the home must demonstrate ability to comply upon request and ensure compliance
before any new placement is made.
Notes
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