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Policy Manual
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
Employee Conduct

7-4-3.7
Department Employees as Foster Parents


Policy

Any Department employee who wants to provide foster care must be licensed by the Department or by a licensed child placing agency.

Review of Request for a Department License

To determine that there is no conflict of interest, an employee’s request for Department licensure shall be reviewed as follows:

Person Procedure
Department Employee
  • Contact a Foster and Adoption Services Unit (FASU) in a region where the employee has no current or past working relationship which could impact decision making.
FASU Worker
  • Discuss the Department’s requirements with the employee.
  • Provide the employee with a "Preliminary Interest Form," DCF-804.

Cross-Reference: 41-16-4, Open House

FASU Supervisor and Program Supervisor
  • Review the employee’s request to ensure there is no conflict of interest, and if none,
  • forward the request, through the Regional Administrator, to the Bureau Chief of Child Welfare Services.
Bureau Chief of Child Welfare Services
  • Review the request.
  • Provide, as appropriate, administrative approval to proceed with the FASU group assessment process.

Permissible Placements

An employee-foster parent may provide foster care to only those children who are being served by a regional office or facility other than where the employee works.

Note: Any change in case planning that may create a conflict must be administratively reviewed to ensure that proper casework responsibilities are met.


Professional Responsibility

An employee-foster parent shall not use his/her position within the Department to impact case planning or gain preferential information by any means regarding children in need of foster care or children in his/her care.


Connecticut Department of Children and Families         Effective Date: October 15, 2000 (Revised)