Section 400.12310. Initial evaluation.

Rule  310. (1) An agency social service worker shall complete a written initial foster home evaluation before certifying the home for licensure.

(2)   The report shall include the dates and places of contacts and persons interviewed or observed.

(3)   The report shall be an assessment of all of the following:

(a)    Visits at the residence of the foster home applicants for observations of, and interviews with, each member of the household to determine all of the following:

(i)   Marital and family status and history, including current and past level of family functioning and relationships and any incidents of domestic violence.

(ii)   Educational history and any special skills and interests.

(iii)    Employment history, current financial status, including property and income, money management skills, and outstanding financial obligations.

(iv)   Physical, mental, and emotional health of each member of the household.

(v)      Any  history  of  substance  abuse,  including   alcohol,  drugs,  or   controlled substances by each member of the household and a description of any treatment received.

(vi)    Current substance use, including alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances by each member of the household and a description of any treatment currently being received.

(vii)   Parenting skills and attitudes toward children.

(viii)   Methods of discipline of children.

(ix)   Adjustment and special needs of the applicant’s own children including children not living in the home.

(x)   Strengths and weaknesses of each member of the household.

(xi)   Experiences with own parents and any history of out-of-home care.

(xii)   Reasons for applying to be a foster family.

(xiii)    Previous licenses or experience in providing child foster care, child day care, or adult foster care.

(xiv)       Willingness    to   accepting   a    foster   child   with   the    child’s   individual characteristics, needs, and background.

(xv)     Willingness   to  parent  cross-racially  or  cross-culturally   and  to  create   an atmosphere that fosters the racial identity and culture of a foster child.

(xvi)   Willingness and ability to work with birth families and to understand the foster child’s attachment to the birth family.

(xvi) An understanding of and willingness to participate in concurrent planning.

(xviii)    Willingness and ability to give a foster child guidance, love, and affection and accept the child as a member of the household.

(xix)   Existence of social support system and alternate care providers.

(xx)   Spirituality or religious beliefs.

(b)   Previous adoption evaluations or placements.

(c)     Previous criminal convictions, and substantiated child abuse or neglect for investigations or concerns brought to the agency’s or department’s attention for any member of the household.

(d)   Three current references from persons not related to the applicants. The agency shall evaluate any negative references.

(e)    A medical statement for each member of the household that indicates that the member has no known condition which would affect the care of a foster child. The

statement shall be signed by a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner within the 12-month period before the initial evaluation.

(f)   Safety and maintenance of the applicant’s house and property, including but not limited to: sufficient beds and sleeping space, pets, guns and other weapons, and water hazards.

(g)      Assessment   of  the  neighborhood,   schools,  and  community  and  available resources.

(h)   The age, number, gender, race, ethnic background, and the special characteristics of children preferred by the applicants.

(i)   Training needs of the family.

(4)      An agency shall document placement specifications consistent with the information contained in the evaluation. The placement specifications shall include the following:

(a)   Age,

(b)   Gender

(c)   Race

(d)  Number of children preferred by the family.

(e)   Characteristics of children best served by the family,

(f)    Children who may not be placed in the home. The child’s racial, ethnic, and cultural identity, heritage, and background may only be considered if an assessment of the individual child indicates that such consideration is in the best interests of the child.

(5)   An agency shall inform the applicant of the department’s policies and procedures regarding concurrent planning.

(6)    An agency shall inform the applicant that a copy of the initial evaluation is available upon request.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2007 AACS; 2014 AACS.