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Policy Manual
TREATMENT
Foster Care

36-55-25.10
Financial Information: Day Care for Foster Children

Policy When a foster parent works out of the home and requests day care for the foster child, Department staff shall determine if day care is in the child’s best interests in accordance with the child’s treatment plan or a treatment planning conference.

The day care provider shall be

  • licensed by the Department of Public Health (DPH)

or

  • a person who is exempt from licensing by the Department of Public Health but who has been approved by DCF, as specified below.

The foster parent may request assistance to pay for day care, as specified below.
Procedures for Use of Babysitters or for a Child Attending a Sleepover Background checks are not required for persons who provide care to a foster child in the following situations:
  • babysitters who care for foster children to enable the foster parents to attend to personal matters; for example, medical or school appointments or social functions
  • families who host a child's social function such as a sleepover which will be attended by a foster child.

The FASU support worker shall

  • discuss with the foster parents any problems or concerns related to such situations
  • emphasize with the foster parents the importance of their judgment that the babysitter or host family will provide the foster child with good care and a safe environment.
Responsibilities of Foster Parent The child’s Social Worker shall consider the foster parent’s work schedule when determining if the child’s needs can be met by placement, or continued placement, in that foster home.

A foster parent must

  • provide proof of employment in the form of a letter from the employer verifying the hours of employment
  • notify DCF of his/her work schedule at the following times:
    • prior to the placement of a child in the home
    • after a placement has been made if the parent then becomes employed or changes his/her work schedule
  • identify a day care provider that is licensed by the Department of Public Health or approved by DCF, as specified below
  • prior to placing the foster child with a day care provider
    • discuss the proposed arrangements with the child’s Social Worker

and
    • obtain the Department’s approval of any day care provider
  • apply to the Department of Social Services(DSS) for day care payment through their Child Care Assistance Program.
Role of DCF The Department shall ensure that children under its care are supervised by appropriate persons. Day care services for a foster child shall be considered based on the child’s best interests in accordance with the child’s treatment plan or a treatment planning conference.

When a foster parent requests day care for a foster child, the child’s Social Worker shall

  • verify the foster parent’s employment and the need for day care
  • discuss the request with the Social Work Supervisor
  • collaborate with the foster parents to select and approve an appropriate DPH licensed day care provider or a DCF approved provider
  • verify the cost of the day care
  • notify the Foster and Adoption Services Unit (FASU) relicensing worker that the foster parent is utilizing day care
  • in LINK, record the foster parent’s request for day care, the Department’s decision and any conditions for the use of day care.
Quarterly Unannounced Visits to Day Care Provider The child’s Social Worker shall make unannounced visits to the selected day care provider, including both licensed and approved exempt providers, on a quarterly basis.
DCF Approval of Exempt Day Care Providers According to DPH regulations, some day care providers are exempt from DPH licensing, such as persons providing day care in a foster home, relatives of the foster child or persons providing day care for less than three (3) hours a day on a regularly recurring basis.

The use of such exempt persons to provide day care to a foster child either in the foster home or in the provider's home must be approved by a DCF Foster and Adoption Services Unit (FASU), as specified below.

Initial Approval

The assigned FASU Social Worker shall

  • obtain the following background information regarding the exempt provider as required for the licensure of foster parents
    • child protective service history
    • local, state and FBI criminal history, and
    • physician's statement (use DCF-722, Physician's Statement for Day Care or Authorized Respite Care)
  • if day care will be provided in the exempt provider's home,
    • obtain the above background information for all members of the provider's household age sixteen (16) years and older, and
    • make a site visit to assess the safety of the home in accordance with foster care licensing regulations §17a-145-137, §17a-145-138, §17a-145-140, §17a-145-141, and §17a-145-142
  • discuss the use of such an exempt provider with, and obtain the approval of, the FASU Supervisor
  • document the approval of the exempt provider in the LINK narrative and in the foster parent's licensing record.

FASU Ongoing Oversight and Biennial Reapproval

The FASU support worker shall be responsible for ongoing oversight and biennial reapproval of the exempt day care provider, as follows:

  • during ongoing contacts with the foster parent, review the day care arrangements and take appropriate actions regarding any change in circumstances
  • at the time of biennial relicensure of the foster parent,
    • complete the same protective service and state and local police background checks for the exempt day care provider (and for his/her household members age 16 years and older if care is provided in the exempt provider's home) as are required for relicensing the foster parents
    • make a site visit to the exempt provider's home if the day care takes place in that home to assess the continued safety of that home as required for initial approval
    • document findings regarding the reapproval of the exempt day care provider in LINK narrative and the foster parent's licensing record
  • if the exempt provider will provide day care in his/her home, make unannounced visits to that home at least once a year.
Payment Options Foster parents may request assistance to pay for day care as follows:
  • The Department of Social Services (DSS) provides funding for day care through the Child Care Assistance Program. Foster parents must apply directly to DSS for these funds.
  • If DSS funds are not available, DCF will pay up to $100.00 per week for day care on an individual case basis in addition to the money for day care which is included in the foster child’s board and care rate ($25.00 per week).

See the table below for procedures to request DCF payment.
To Request Payment by DCF If DSS funds are not available, the foster parent may request payment from DCF as follows:

Person Responsible

Action
Foster Parent
  • Submit a written request for the day care payment to the child’s worker, including
    • documentation of the cost of weekly day care
    • verification of the denial of DSS funds.
Child’s Social Worker
  • Review the request with the Social Work Supervisor.
  • Enter the request for the day care payment in LINK.
  • Forward the request with a recommendation to the Program Director for approval.
Program Director, or Designee
  • Approve or deny the request for payment and enter the decision in LINK.
  • Notify the Social Worker of the decision.
  • If approved, determine the amount of the day care payment and enter such in LINK.
Child’s Social Worker
  • Provide notification of the payment decision to
    • the foster parent
    • the FASU relicensing worker.
    •

Connecticut Department of Children and Families          Effective Date:  June 1, 2002 (Revised)