Quick Reference Guide for DFCS/CPA Foster Homes*



Room, Board and Watchful Oversight

Quick Reference Guide for Child Placing Agency Foster Homes

|Minimum |Minimum Standards Topic |Applies To |Minimum Standard Description |Frequency |

|Standard | | | | |

|Number | | | | |

|1 |Skills and Abilities |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |Specific Skills Required: |These basic skills requirements should be covered in both Pre-Service and |

| | |secondary caretakers) |Understanding the Impact of Fostering |Continuing Parent Development (CPD) training classes. |

| | | |Teamwork and Communication | |

| | | |Parenting Abused/Neglected Children | |

| | | |Understanding Grief, Loss and Attachment Issues for Children in Care | |

| | | |Understand, Prevent and Manage Misbehaviors | |

| | | |Support Primary or Birth Family Connections | |

| | | |Provide a Safe, Nurturing and Healthy Environment | |

|2 |Criminal Records Check |Any adult (age 18 and over) residing |A criminal records check including GCIC and NCIC finger printing must be performed and outcomes |Repeat criminal record check, including fingerprinting, is required at |

| | |permanently or temporarily in the home and |documented. Additionally, it is the foster parent’s responsibility to inform the approving agency of|least every (5) years at the time of the Annual Re-evaluation for all |

| | |having access to children |any criminal indictments or convictions. |current foster parents and adults (age 18 and over) residing in the home. |

|3 |Income |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |The foster parent is expected to have income sufficient to maintain their family excluding the amount|These requirements are typically only submitted once as part of the foster|

| | |secondary caretakers) |of the per diem received for any child(ren) in foster care. The foster parent must complete a |parent application process. They must be submitted no more than 12 months|

| | | |financial statement and provide verification of income which may include: |prior to initial foster home approval date. |

| | | |Check Stubs | |

| | | |Federal Income Tax Return | |

| | | |Statement from Employer, etc. | |

|4 |Age |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |Resource parents must be at least ten (10) years older than the child to be placed and if unmarried, |This requirement is verified prior to initial foster home approval as well|

| | |secondary caretakers) |at least 25 years of age. |as prior to each new foster child placement. |

|5 |References |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |At least three references must be obtained for the applicant. One of the three references must be |These requirements are typically only submitted once as part of the foster|

| | |secondary caretakers) |from an extended family member not residing in the home. Applicants must secure an additional |parent application process. They must be submitted no more than 12 months|

| | | |reference from the previous or current employer if they are or have been employed in a job situation |prior to initial foster home approval date. |

| | | |that involves children. | |

|6 |Environmental Inspection |All DFCS and CPA foster parents’ (primary and |A statement that an approved environmental inspection has been completed on homes that are not on |This requirement is typically only submitted once as part of the foster |

| | |secondary caretakers) residences |county/city water and/or sewage systems is required. A statement that the utility bills, etc. were |parent application process. It must be submitted no more than 12 months |

| | | |viewed and the home is on county/city water and/or sewage system should be accomplished if an |prior to initial foster home approval date. |

| | | |environmental inspection is not applicable. | |

|7 |Gas Heaters |All DFCS and CPA foster parents’ (primary and |Gas heaters in the foster home must be vented to avoid fire and health hazards. However, un-vented, |This requirement is verified prior to initial foster home approval as well|

| | |secondary caretakers) residences |fuel-fired heaters equipped with oxygen depletion safety shut-off systems may be operated in foster |as during annual re-evaluations. |

| | | |homes. Working carbon monoxide detectors must be installed in these homes. | |

|8 |Safety Considerations |All DFCS and CPA foster parents’ (primary and |Smoke alarms must be present in the home and functioning. |These requirements are verified prior to initial foster home approval as |

| | |secondary caretakers) residences |Firearms must be locked away from children. Ammunition should be kept locked and stored separately |well as during annual re-evaluations. |

| | | |from firearms. | |

| | | |Homes having a swimming pool must meet all community ordinances to operate a pool. The pool must be | |

| | | |fenced with a gate, which is kept locked to prevent unsupervised access by children. | |

|9 |Animals |All DFCS and CPA foster parents’ (primary and |Georgia law requires that all dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated for rabies. Foster homes with |These requirements are verified prior to initial foster home approval as |

| | |secondary caretakers) residences |exotic animals or wildlife (chimpanzees, snakes, raccoons, large mammals) will require a health and |well as during annual re-evaluations. |

| | | |suitability statement from a veterinarian, and approval by the Regional Director. | |

|10 |Health |Foster Parents Under 65 Years of Age |1. A full physical examination and history must be completed and signed by a licensed physician, |1. This requirement is completed as part of the initial foster home |

| | | |physician’s assistant, or public health department.**See NOTE in next column. |approval process (it can occur no more than 12 months prior to initial |

| | | | |foster home approval) and then every 5 years there after (Form 36, |

| | | | |Medical Report required). **NOTE - Foster parents with a diagnosed |

| | | | |health problem must also obtain a physician’s health statement annually. |

| | | | |2. This requirement is typically only required on a one time basis as |

| | | |2. TB screening (skin test or chest X-ray) |part of the initial foster home approval process and can occur no more |

| | | | |than 12 months prior to initial foster home approval. |

| | | | |3. This requirement is typically only required on a one time basis as |

| | | | |part of the initial foster home approval process and can occur no more |

| | | |3. Comprehensive drug screen (includes testing for cannobinoids, cocaine, amphetamines, |than 12 months prior to initial foster home approval. |

| | | |methamphetamines, opiates and phencyclidine) | |

| | |Foster Parents 65 Years of Age and Older |1. A full physical examination and history must be completed and signed by a licensed physician, |1. This requirement is completed as part of the initial foster home |

| | | |physician’s assistant, or public health department. |approval process (it can occur no more than 12 months prior to initial |

| | | | |foster home approval) and then annually there after (Form 36, Medical |

| | | | |Report required every fifth year). |

| | | |2. TB screening (skin test or chest X-ray) |2. This requirement is typically only required on a one time basis as |

| | | | |part of the initial foster home approval process and can occur no more |

| | | | |than 12 months prior to initial foster home approval. |

| | | | |3. This requirement is typically only required on a one time basis as |

| | | |3. Comprehensive drug screen (includes testing for cannobinoids, cocaine, amphetamines, |part of the initial foster home approval process and can occur no more |

| | | |methamphetamines, opiates and phencyclidine) |than 12 months prior to initial foster home approval. |

| | |Adults and Children 16 Years of Age and Older |1. Health statement (Form 36, Medical Report not required) |1. This requirement is completed on a one-time basis as part of the |

| | | | |initial foster home approval process (it can occur no more than 12 months|

| | | | |prior to initial foster home approval). |

| | | |2. TB screening (skin test or chest X-ray) |2. This requirement is completed on a one-time basis as part of the |

| | | | |initial foster home approval process (it can occur no more than 12 months|

| | | | |prior to initial foster home approval). |

| | |Children Under 16 Years of Age |Health statement (Form 36, Medical Report not required) |This requirement is completed on a one- time basis as part of the initial |

| | | | |foster home approval process (it can occur no more than 12 months prior to|

| | | | |initial foster home approval). |

|11 |Pre-Service Training |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |20 hours of pre-service training/preparation must be completed as part of the initial foster parent |All DFCS and CPA foster parents applying for approval to serve children in|

| | |secondary caretakers) |application process. The training must include appropriate methods of discipline and must emphasize |DFCS custody |

| | | |that corporal punishment is prohibited. | |

|12 |Continued Parent Development |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |At least 10 hours of Continued Parent Development (CPD) must be completed annually. CPD should be |This requirement is checked during the annual re-evaluation. |

| | |secondary caretakers) |relevant to the type of children being placed in the foster home. Required CPD topics for the first | |

| | | |year will include CPR and First Aid. | |

|13 |Appropriate Utilization of Foster |All children in DFCS custody who are placed in |No more than six (6) children under the age of 16, including the children of the foster family, shall|This standard applies at all times and compliance is verified during the |

| |Home |either DFCS or CPA foster homes |be placed in a foster home. |annual re-evaluation. |

| | | | | |

| | | |No more than two (2) children under two (2) years of age, including the children of the foster | |

| | | |family, may be placed in a foster home. | |

| | | | | |

| | | |Only bedrooms shall be used as sleeping space for children. | |

| | | | | |

| | | |Each non-related child must have a separate bed. | |

| | | | | |

| | | |A maximum of two (2) children may sleep in a double or larger bed if they are siblings and are of the| |

| | | |same sex. | |

| | | | | |

| | | |No child shall sleep in a bed with an adult. | |

| | | | | |

| | | |A child over one (1) year of age cannot sleep in the bedroom of an adult. | |

| | | | | |

| | | |A maximum of three (3) children to share a bedroom is preferable. The suitability of children sharing| |

| | | |a room should be assessed based on the background/history of the children. | |

| | | | | |

| | | |Children age five (5) years and older and of different sexes shall not share a bedroom. | |

|14 |Face to Face Contact |Child Placing Agency case managers |1. Face-to-face contact with foster children and their foster parent(s) in any setting. |1. At least monthly |

| | | |2. Face-to-face contact with foster children and their foster parent(s) in the foster home. |2. At least bi-monthly |

|15 |Family Daycare |All DFCS and CPA foster parents’ (primary and |A foster parent may be a Family Day Care provider for a maximum number of six (6) children. Thus, the|This standard applies at all times and compliance is verified during the |

| | |secondary caretakers) residences |parent child ratio can never be greater than 1:6 at any time. The number often will have to be less |annual re-evaluation. |

| | | |than six due to the number, ages and needs of the children in foster care placed in the home. | |

|16 |Employment Outside the Home |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |A single foster parent or both foster parents can be employed outside the home if childcare is |This standard applies at all times and compliance is verified during the |

| | |secondary caretakers) |provided and if able to meet the needs of the children in foster care. |annual re-evaluation. |

|17 |Religion |All children in DFCS custody who are placed in |Children in foster care should have opportunities for religious, spiritual and/or ethical |This standard applies at all times and compliance is verified during the |

| | |either DFCS or CPA foster homes |development. |annual re-evaluation. |

|18 |Driver’s License |All DFCS and CPA foster parents (primary and |Foster parents are expected to have a valid Georgia driver’s license, car and insurance. A part of |This standard applies at all times and compliance is verified during the |

| | |secondary caretakers) |the foster parent partnership expectation is that they will assist the case manager with providing |annual re-evaluation. |

| | | |transportation for children placed in their home. | |

|19 |Foster Home Approval |All DFCS and CPA foster parents’ (primary and |Foster parents must be an approved foster home resource for only one agency, but may accept children |This standard applies at all times and compliance is verified during the |

| | |secondary caretakers) residences |from another agency with prior approval from their original approving agency. |annual re-evaluation. |

Based on: DFCS Social Services Manual 3060 (Foster Care Services), Section 1014 (Foster Parents), Revised March 2007

DFCS Social Services Manual 3060 (Foster Care Services), Section 1015 (Foster Homes), Revised December 2007

DFCS Social Services Manual 3060 (Foster Care Services), Appendix B1 (Minimum Standards for Family Foster Homes), Revised March 2005

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