Utah Admin. Code R512-301-3 - Child and Family Services Roles and Responsibilities to a Parent or Guardian of a Child Receiving Out-of-Home Services when Reunification is the Primary Permanency Goal
(1) Child and
Family Services is responsible to make reasonable efforts to reunify a child
with a parent or guardian when a court has determined that reunification is
appropriate, in accordance with Section
62A-4a-203, or when a child has
been placed with Child and Family Services through a voluntary
placement.
(2) Child and Family
Services shall actively seek to involve both the custodial and non-custodial
parents or guardians in the child and family team process, unless their
whereabouts are unknown, including participation in establishing the child and
family team, completing an assessment, developing the child and family plan,
and selecting the child's primary and concurrent permanency goals, as described
in Rule R512-300. Child and Family Services shall also involve the child's
foster parents, stepparent when appropriate, and the guardian ad litem, if one
has been appointed by the court.
(3) The child and family plan shall address
the strengths and needs of both the child and the family. In accordance with
Section 62A-4a-205, the plan shall
identify what the parents must do for the child to be returned home,
specifically how the requirements may be accomplished and how the requirements
shall be measured. The plan shall also include the specific services needed to
reduce the problems that necessitated placing the child in out-of-home care.
Child and Family Services shall utilize and complete an assessment, with the
input of the child and family team, to identify the provisions that will be
included in the plan. The plan shall be crafted by the child and family team
and designed to maintain and enhance parental functioning, improve safety,
well-being, and permanency for the child, and preserve familial connections.
(4) In accordance with Section
62A-4a-205, additional weight and attention shall be given to the input of the
child's parents and the foster parents in the plan development.
(5) Child and Family Services shall make a
substantial effort to develop a child and family plan with which the child's
parents agree. If a parent does not agree with the services outlined on the
child and family plan, Child and Family Services shall make attempts to resolve
the disagreement, and, if unsuccessful, shall inform the court of the
disagreement.
(6) The completed
child and family plan shall be uploaded into eSign and made available to the
parent or guardian, foster parent, guardian ad litem, and the parent or
guardian's legal counsel as soon as reasonably possible following
finalization.
(7) The caseworker
shall make diligent attempts to have regular face-to-face contact with the
parent or guardian to facilitate progress towards completion of the provisions
outlined in the child and family plan. At a minimum, the caseworker shall visit
the parent or guardian at least once per month.
(8) Child and Family Services shall make
diligent efforts to engage a parent or guardian in continuing contacts with the
child, whether through visitation, phone, or written correspondence, when it is
not prohibited by court order. Visitation requirements specified in Rule
R512-300 apply.
(9) Child and
Family Services shall also make reasonable and diligent efforts to engage and
involve a parent or guardian in their child's activities and appointments, such
as attending school meetings, recreational activities, and health care visits,
when it is determined to be safe for the child and not prohibited by court
order.
(10) Child and Family
Services must include the parent or guardian as fully as possible when making
health care decisions for the child, as long as the child's health and
well-being are not compromised by the decision.
(11) The parent or guardian has a right to
reasonable notice and may participate in court and administrative reviews for
the child in accordance with The Public Health and Welfare Act of 2014,
42
U.S.C 675, and Section 80-3-104.
Notes
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