Foster Care Setting |
When a child is placed into foster care, the match shall be
made to a foster home that is in the least restrictive, most family-like setting and in
close geographic proximity to the child's own home. |
| Definitions |
Matching is the process
of identifying the most appropriate foster home or other temporary placement resource and
facilitating the child's placement. A matcher is a
Social Worker in the Foster and Adoption Services Unit (FASU) whose responsibility
is to match the child with the foster home or other temporary placement resource. The
matcher is the link between the placement resource and the placing Social Worker.
All requests for foster care or respite care, whether in the same
region or cross-region, shall be processed only by the matcher or the FASU Supervisor. |
| Coordination of Regional Workers in Effecting a Match |
To effect the best possible match, and to support the foster
parent and the child through the placement, there must be clear communication and a
coordinated team effort between the child's worker and the matcher. |
| Placement with Relatives or Extended Family |
Preference shall be given to placement with relatives or
extended family if the family
- can meet the needs of the child
- can meet licensing requirements, and
- lives in the same community where the child had been living at the time of removal,
unless it is in the best interests of the child to be placed with relatives in another
community.
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| Placement with Non-Related Caretakers |
Children who are placed with non-related caretakers shall be
placed in a foster care setting that serves the best interests of the child, based on the
child’s individual needs. Cross-References:
- 41-19-3, "Placements Which Do Not Conform to the
Principles of Matching"
- 41-19-5, "Multiethnic Foster Care Placements"
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| Placement of Siblings |
Siblings shall be placed in the same foster home unless the
documented special needs of one or more siblings preclude placing them together. In
a conflict between proximity of the foster home to the child's parents and keeping
siblings together, the principle that siblings should be placed together takes precedence,
and DCF shall ensure visitation with the biological family. |
| Maximum Number of Children in the Home/Population Limits |
The maximum number of children who may reside in a foster
home is six (6), including foster children and the family's biological and adopted
children. Except when a sibling group is placed together, or in special circumstances as
deemed appropriate by the Commissioner (see authorization below), children shall
not be matched to a foster home if that placement results in
- more than three (3) foster children in the home
- more than two (2) children under two (2) years of age, or
- more than three (3) children under six (6) years of age.
When local ordinances specify that a smaller number of children than
those allowed above may be in care, the local ordinance shall prevail.
In no case shall the foster or adoptive family care for more than two (2)
non-ambulatory children who are incapable of self-preservation. |
| Process to Review a Prospective Placement Which Exceeds
Population Limitations |
Prior to making a placement which would exceed population
limitations for the reasons described above, i.e., for siblings or other special
circumstances, the placing worker must review the prospective placement with
- his/her supervisor, and
- the FASU matcher, supervisor and/or FASU Program Supervisor.
The purpose of such a review is to determine
- that the foster parents can care for the additional child(ren)
- what effect the placement of this child(ren) will have on the child(ren) already living
in the home
- that the placement is in the best interests of the child(ren).
See the table below for procedures to obtain authorization for the placement. |
| Authorization to Exceed Population Limitations |
The FASU matcher shall request authorization to make a
placement which exceeds population limitations as follows: IMPORTANT:
No overcapacity placement may be made into homes that are licensed for both
foster care and day care.
| Person |
Action |
| FASU Matcher |
- Review the placement with the child's Social Worker and supervisory staff, as described
above.
- Complete DCF-2156, "Authorization for a Placement Which Exceeds Population
Limitations".
- Forward DCF-2156 to the Regional Administrator or Program Director.
|
| Regional Administrator Program Director |
- Approve or deny the request for placement.
|
| FASU Matcher |
- File the authorization in the foster parent's licensing record.
- Forward a copy of the authorization to
- the child's Social Worker to be filed in in the child's record
- the FASU support worker for follow-up with the family and updating of the
DCF-470 Support Plan to assess the need for additional service.
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| Quarterly Review of Authorization to Exceed Population
Limitations |
The conditions of an authorized placement exception as
described above shall be reviewed for renewal quarterly. The FASU support worker
shall
- review the placement quarterly
- obtain the approval of the Program Director to renew the authorization
- document the renewal on DCF-2156, and
- file copies of renewed DCF-2156 in the child's record and the foster parent's licensing
record.
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| Administrative Exceptions to Matching Criteria |
Administrative exceptions to the preferred matching criteria
shall be approved by the Program Supervisor except for those exceeding population
limitations, which must be authorized as stated above. All exceptions shall be
- entered in LINK
- reported monthly to the Regional Administrator and the Office of Foster and Adoption
Services.
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