SERVICE

One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.		  
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  FAMILY

Two or more people who consider themselves family and who assume obligations, functions, and responsibilities generally essential to healthy family life. Child care and child socialization, income support, long-term care, and other caregiving are among the functions of family life. The definition of "family" will rest with an individual's indication of who plays a family member role, including current or former foster family, adoptive family, extended family members, fictive kin, or significant others. Organizations that believe family is the central constellation in a child's life, and that family attachments are of primary importance for human development, will strive to work with professional staff to develop a common understanding of "family."		  
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  COMMUNITY

A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.		  
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  CASE

A general term used to designate clients (including individuals, families, and groups) served by an organization for purposes of monitoring the provision of services. A foster care case is generally based on the placement of an individual child, although casework for the child may include services to the child's family. A child protective services case is based on an entire family household if a family assessment model is used; otherwise a case is defined as a child.		  
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  INDIAN CHILD

As defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), "Any unmarried person who is under age eighteen and is either (a) a member of an Indian tribe or (b) eligible for membership in an Indian tribe and is the biological child of a member of an Indian tribe." For purposes of compliance with ICWA, the definition provided in the Act shall apply. For purposes of access to services and resources, other more inclusive definitions may apply (e.g. Indian Education Act, tribal definitions, etc.). 		 
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  INDIAN ORGANIZATION

As defined in ICWA, "Any group, association, partnership, cooperation, or other legal entity owned or controlled by Indians, or a majority of whose members are Indians."		  
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  PARENTS

Parents can include: birth, foster, kinship, and adoptive parents. Please see service standards for more specific information about use of this term. 		 
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  RESEARCH

For purposes of COA accreditation, all forms of internal or external research involving persons served except internal program evaluation and outcomes research, or educational projects performed by students and interns that are part of their professional training.		  
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  OUT-OF-HOME CARE

Services for persons living in environments outside of their usual households. Foster Care Services are considered to serve persons in out-of-home care.		  
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  FOSTER PARENTS

State- or county-licensed adults who provide a temporary home for children whose birth parents are unable to care for them. Foster parents are not considered employees or personnel and are specifically referenced in all relevant standards. 		 
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  SUPERVISION

Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.		  
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  PLANNING

The process of specifying objectives, evaluating the means for their achievement, and exercising deliberate decision making about appropriate courses of action.		  
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  POLICY

A written statement of principles, values, or intent that provides a basis for consistent decision making and guides the actions of staff, management, and board of trustees. A policy is intentionally broad in its language and application. The following is an example of an anti-discrimination policy:

"[Organization Name] shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers, selection of vendors, and provision of services."

In contrast, a procedure is a detailed, step-by-step description of a process. It tells the reader how to do something. Generally, policies are implemented through procedures. For example, the above anti-discrimination policy would require a detailed grievance procedure in order to operationalize it within an organization.

The governing body has the fiduciary responsibility for setting organizational policy. Therefore, policies must be approved and periodically reviewed by the organization's governing body. However, the governing body typically delegates (via policy) the responsibility for policy development to management. In owner-operated for-profit companies, the owner can act as the company's governing body, depending on the company's corporate structure.

In a public agency the responsibility for setting and reviewing policies may belong to the agency's management team, elected officials, another governmental agency, or as is often the case, a combination of the above.

  
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Foster Care Services
  
Private Org Public Agency  

PA-FC 7: Developing and Maintaining Connections

 
The agency promotes positive connections among the child, family members, friends, and the community.
Interpretation: When the case involves an Indian child, the tribe or a local Indian organization should be seen as a resource to help maintain the child’s connection to his or her extended family and the tribal community.

PA-FC 7.01

 

Unless contraindicated, regular visits and ongoing contact occur between the child, parents, and siblings, and support is provided to help the child maintain positive relationships with:

  1. extended family;
  2. individuals with whom the child had a prior relationship; and
  3. members of the child’s faith community or tribe.
Interpretation: Contact may be maintained through visits, phone calls, written correspondence, and shared activities. Contact with the child may be contraindicated due to legal requirements or court findings, for safety reasons, or when parental rights have been terminated. In some situations, contact can occur even when parents are in declining health or when rights have been terminated. The standard requires engagement of parents whenever possible.

Research Note: Research suggests that positive, frequent parent-child visitation: enhances the well-being and positive development of the child; promotes placement stability; increases the likelihood of reunification; and facilitates the timely achievement of permanency goals.

Although many youth are disconnected from long-term family relationships, research indicates that youth in out-of-home care often maintain relationships with their families and return to them upon exit from care. Supportive relationships should be fostered when possible, or youth receive assistance to cope with or avoid unhealthy relationships.

Research Note: Research on treatment foster care for youth with histories of chronic and serious juvenile delinquency found that association with delinquent peers was a significant predictor of the number and seriousness of arrests one year later. These researchers recommend isolating youth from delinquent peers and promoting positive peer contact only after youth stabilize in the foster home.

Research Note: Contact with tribal relatives is commonly practiced among tribal communities and is believed to support the child’s cultural identity and an improved sense of belonging.

PA-FC 7.02

 
Youth are helped to develop social support networks and build healthy, meaningful relationships with caring individuals.
Interpretation: “Caring individuals” may include mentors, extended family, community members, and friends.
Research Note: Results of a focus group with youth in foster care found that some youth valued the development of permanent relationships more than establishing legal permanence.

PA-FC 7.03

 

A visitation plan is developed and updated in collaboration with parents, foster parents, and the child and is appropriate to:

  1. the child’s age and developmental stage;
  2. the parents' strengths and needs;
  3. the schedules of foster parents and parents;
  4. the social and cultural context of the family; and
  5. the status of the case and the permanency goal.
Interpretation: When the case involves an Indian child, a representative from the tribe or a local Indian organization should be included in the development of the visitation plan.
Note: Visitation plans are part of the permanency plan and specify participants, purpose, frequency, length, activities, and location of the visits. The plan can also specify requirements for supervision and supportive services.

Research Note: Literature suggests that visitation can be stressful for children, and recommends children be actively involved in visitation planning that considers their best interests and needs.

One research study found that parents who visit their children in their own home or in the foster parents’ home were more likely to visit frequently in comparison to parents who visit their children at the agency or another location.

PA-FC 7.04

 

As appropriate to the status of the case and purpose of visitation, the foster care worker, or designee:

  1. provides the child, siblings, foster parents, and parents with guidance and support before visits to help prepare for the visit, and after visits to help families learn from issues that arise during visits;
  2. assesses relationships and parenting skills during visitation; and
  3. documents events that occur.

PA-FC 7.05

 
Agency policy prohibits cancellation of visits as a disciplinary action.
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PURPOSE: Children and youth who receive Foster Care Services live in a stable home, remain safe and healthy, and achieve permanency and well-being.
 
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