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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  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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  TRAINING

Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.		  
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  STAKEHOLDER

Any person, group, or organization that has a vested interest in the services provided by the organization. Examples: clients, consumers, personnel, funding organizations, referral organizations, vendors, and governmental bodies.		  
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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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  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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  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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  ASSESSMENT

An evaluation, which utilizes professional expertise and skills in the collection and analysis of data to understand and describe the nature of service needs of an individual, family, or group. Assessment, as in needs assessment, is also used to determine priorities of program planning and service development for the organization as a whole. See also DIAGNOSIS.		  
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  EVALUATION

The review and assessment of organizational operations, programs and services.		  
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  EMPLOYEE

Paid member of an organization. Foster parents are not considered employees and are specifically referenced in relevant standards. 		 
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  CONSULTANT

A person who provides specialized or technical advice or services to an organization for specific purposes on a contractual or fee basis, or who provides such services as a volunteer with an agreement to provide services on a pro bono basis.		  
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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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  PROCEDURES

Written instructions that outline the steps for performing a task(s) or operationalizing an administrative or service delivery process. A procedure can be written as a step-by-step set of instructions or as a narrative description of a process. A procedure tells someone how to do something not just what to do.

Unlike policies, procedures do not need to be approved or reviewed by the governing body, and need not be associated with a specific policy. For example, whereas a broad anti-discrimination policy requires grievance or other procedures in order to be operationalized within an organization, assessment procedures do not require a governing body approved assessment policy.

Note: Procedures are sometimes referred to as administrative policies.

  
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  PRACTICE

Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organizational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.		  
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  CONFIDENTIALITY

An ethical and practice principle that requires the protection of information shared within a professional-client relationship. An organization that upholds confidentiality prohibits personnel from disclosing information about persons served without their written consent.		  
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  CLIENT

See service recipient.		  
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  SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

Children and adolescents legally required to attend school. COA does not provide specific age limits for this term; however "school-age" is generally considered to be between the ages of 5 - 17 years old.		  
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  SPECIAL NEEDS

A designation used in reference to conditions or characteristics of a person that reflect a need for special care, services, or treatment. When the term is used in the context of adoption services, special needs refers to conditions that make a child harder to place for adoption. This includes children who are members of sibling groups, older children, children with disabilities, children of certain racial /ethnic backgrounds, etc. When the term is used in the context of foster care it refers to the need for a higher degree of specialized case services and attention due to mental and physical disabilities. When the term is used in the context of out-of-school time services, a child or youth may have special physical, behavioral, medical, emotional, or cognitive needs that should be addressed or accommodated. The term is also used in other contexts. See also DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.		  
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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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  CULTURE

The customs, habits, values, skills, technology, beliefs, and religious, social, and political behaviors of a group of people in a specific period of time.		  
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  ETHNICITY

An orientation toward and identification with a population group that shares national origin, religion, race, or language.		  
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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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  COMPLAINT

An expression of verbal or written dissatisfaction that can include, but is not limited to, services, manner of treatment, outcomes, or experiences. For employees or volunteers, dissatisfaction can include personnel matters such as supervision, evaluations, promotions or demotions, the work environment, and overall treatment. The term is synonymously used with GRIEVANCE.		  
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  PROTOCOLS

Instruments and procedures used to accomplish a particular goal, activity, or purpose.		  
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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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Foster Care Services
  
Private Org Public Agency  

PA-FC 16: Recruitment and Retention of Foster Families

 
A sufficiently diverse group of foster families is recruited, prepared, and supported to meet the needs of the children in care, and their families.
Interpretation: An agency that has responsibility for placing Indian children should work closely with tribes to identify foster homes within the tribal community.

PA-FC 16.01

 

Recruitment and training efforts involve key stakeholders including:

  1. foster care alumni;
  2. current foster parents;
  3. foster care workers;
  4. community leaders; and
  5. other organizations in the community.

PA-FC 16.02

 
Recruitment efforts are planned, implemented, and evaluated to ensure a suitable family is available for each child entering care.
Interpretation: Planning should include a regular assessment of the types of homes needed, recruitment resources available, and recruitment goals. Evaluation of recruitment efforts should include the cost-effectiveness of activities and the utilization of new foster families.

Interpretation: Generally, when employees or consultants of the agency express interest in becoming foster parents, the agency refers them to another provider. If the agency allows employees or consultants to provide foster care, the agency must have a policy and procedures that address the circumstances under which this practice is allowed, conflicts of interest, confidentiality of client and foster parent information, evaluation of the foster home, and any other risks that have been identified by the agency.

Research Note: Some researchers suggest that general recruitment efforts may be beneficial because they encourage people to seek more information and can promote a positive public perception of foster care. Other literature cautions against the use of general recruitment activities because they can result in the recruitment of families not willing or able to meet the needs of children in care. Literature suggests that recruitment efforts target: friends and family of current foster parents; individuals or families that will care for children who are difficult to place, including school-age children, youth, and children with special needs; families that reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children in need of foster homes; and parents seeking to expand their family. Research suggests that timely engagement of interested families can improve the effectiveness of recruitment efforts.

PA-FC 16.03

 

The agency determines the appropriate amount of mandatory pre-service and in-service education necessary to ensure that foster parents understand:

  1. the agency's mission, philosophy, goals, and services;
  2. the needs of abused and neglected children;
  3. how to integrate the child into the family;
  4. the importance of culture and ethnicity, and methods to maintain the child's connection to his or her cultural community or tribe;
  5. the partnership role foster parents play in supporting the family;
  6. how to assist with visitation;
  7. sensitive and responsive practices to use with biological parents; and
  8. the use of foster care as a temporary intervention.
Interpretation: The agency may consider the current experience, knowledge, and skills of each foster parent when determining the appropriate amount of training required. Relevant topics when working with parents may include: involving parents in decisions about their children’s lives, encouraging visits, and maintaining the parent-child relationship.
Research Note: Research demonstrates that foster parent training can impact placement stability and the retention of foster parents. Some literature suggests that supervision and on-the-job training can be effective training methods.

PA-FC 16.04

 

Foster parents receive pre-service training on rights and responsibilities including:

  1. specific duties of foster parents;
  2. identification and reporting of abuse and neglect;
  3. reimbursement for services and compensation for damages caused by children placed in the home;
  4. notice of and participation in any review or hearing regarding the child;
  5. complaint procedures; and
  6. circumstances that will result in closing a home.
Research Note: Foster parents participating in a study of foster parent retention suggested the lack of reimbursement for some incurred expenses, including transportation, clothing, and recreational services, can impact foster parent turnover. Researchers recommend identifying and addressing concerns about the costs of providing foster care during training.

PA-FC 16.05

 

Foster parents are:

  1. trained in basic first aid;
  2. trained in medication administration;
  3. certified in CPR, when necessary and appropriate;
  4. trained in recognizing and responding to child behaviors that jeopardize health and well-being; and
  5. trained in medical or rehabilitation interventions and operation of medical equipment required for a child’s care.
related PA-ASE 7
Interpretation: Retraining should be provided at least every 2 years.
Interpretation: When foster parents provide therapeutic foster care to children with exceptional medical needs, CPR certification is required. In other cases, the state will determine whether and under what circumstances it is necessary and appropriate for foster parents to be certified in CPR. If it is determined that CPR certification is not necessary, the agency should develop a plan for how foster parents should respond in case of emergency. Appropriate responses may vary based on the geographic area served.

PA-FC 16.06

 
Foster parents sign a statement agreeing to refrain from the use of corporal and degrading punishment, and receive initial and ongoing training and support to promote positive behavior and use appropriate discipline techniques.
related PA-BSM 2,  PA-BSM 3
Research Note: A study of foster parent disciplinary approaches found that the use of harsh discipline was associated with a greater likelihood that the child would use aggressive solutions. One exploratory study found that while most foster parents report receiving enough information about child discipline during pre-service training, child behavior problems continue to be the most frequent factor cited when foster parents quit.

PA-FC 16.07

 
Each foster family develops or uses the agency's protocols for responding to emergencies including accidents, run-away behavior, serious illness, fire, and natural disasters.

PA-FC 16.08

 
The agency provides opportunities for peer support among foster parents.

PA-FC 16.09

 

Foster parents have access to services to prevent and reduce stress and family crisis including:

  1. child care;
  2. respite care;
  3. counseling;
  4. peer support
  5. transportation; and
  6. recreational activities.
Interpretation: When appropriate, the child’s extended family and other community members should be considered as valuable resources when identifying services to help reduce stress and relieve family crisis.
Interpretation: When the case involves an Indian child, services offered by the tribe or local Indian organizations should be considered when identifying support services.
Research Note: Literature suggests that the availability of respite care and child care is a key factor in foster parent retention, especially when foster parents are employed or have health problems.

PA-FC 16.10

 
Each foster family receives an annual evaluation to identify areas of strength and concern, and a plan is developed to address needs for support or training.
Interpretation: An evaluation performed as part of the home recertification process may be used to demonstrate implementation of this standard, provided such evaluations are conducted annually.
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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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