BEING A RESOURCE FAMILY

What is a Resource Family

Resource family is a term used to describe the various types of caregivers who provide care to children who are placed in an out-of-home setting. Resource families provide safe, stable, loving homes for children in need until it is determined their parents are capable of safely caring for the child. Some children may need care for a few days, others will need care for a longer period of time. This care can be through relative care, licensed foster care, or adoptive or guardianship families.

The primary goal of out-of-home care is family reunification. Resource families provide stability and support while children and their families work toward reunification.

Resource families may interact with several staff after a child is placed into their care, including:

• Assigned worker / Protective Services Specialist (PSS),
• Social Services Associate (SSA),
• Licensing worker,
• Probation officer,
• Supervisors,
• Service providers,
• Guardian ad litem (GAL),
• Court-appointed, special advocate (CASA),
• A Tribal worker, or
• Other OCS staff.

Additionally, resource families will likely interact with the child’s family (i.e., parents, grandparents, siblings, other extended family members).

Types of Resource Families

Relative Caregivers: Care by a relative, is the most preferred choice of out-of-home placement. Relatives have an option to care for a child with or without a foster home license. The definition of “Relative”, an individual who is related to another by blood, adoption, marriage, or Tribal custom.

Foster Home/Foster Group Home: Individuals who are licensed to provide ongoing care for children in a family setting. This may include relative caregivers.

Guardianship Home: A legal guardian is someone appointed by the court to care for a child until he or she is age 18.

Adoptive Home: Adoption gives all of the legal authority and responsibility of the care of the child to the adoptive parent so the adoptive parent can care for the child without the supervision of the court or OCS.

Your Role as a Resource Family

You are an important and valuable team member for the support of the child and his or her family. You may have the hardest job of all, to care for a child, and support the child until they return to the parents’ home. As a resource family, your role is to:

• Support and participate in the case plan.
• Provide the child with a safe, stable, and nurturing environment.
• Encourage reunification.
• Respect the confidentiality of the child and family.
• Help transition the child to and from family visits, provide transportation to visits, and supervise contacts when appropriate.
• Support the child’s education by supervising school attendance and activities and participating in school conferences.
• Arrange for the child to receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs. This includes medical, vision, dental, and mental health care.
• Encourage the birth parents to attend medical appointments, school conferences and activities when appropriate.
• Continue family relationships and cultural connections for the child.
• Encourage, support, and assist the child and birth family in creating a life book to document the child’s life journey.
• Notify the assigned worker regarding any problems or concerns.
• Communicate and cooperate with OCS.

Caring for a child in custody is temporary, until the child can return home. If a child cannot reunify with his or her family, another permanency goal may be needed. If the child is legally free for adoption, you may be in a position to consider providing permanent care for a child. Regardless, every child in care needs lasting permanent connections with supportive adults.

What is an Assigned Worker

The assigned worker is the individual who arranges for the placement of a child. Assigned workers may have different job titles depending on which agency you are working with. At OCS, assigned workers are referred to as Protective Services Specialist (PSS); at DJJ, assigned workers are called Probation Officers. Private child placement agencies or Tribal organizations have other job titles for their workers.

Be a Member of a Family’s Team

You are not alone in caring for the child. As part of the family’s “team”, you will be working to strengthen the family and provide safety for the children. The team consists of the child’s parents, the child, the resource family, the assigned worker, guardian ad litem (GAL) or court-appointed special advocate (CASA), and Tribal representatives for Native children. It may also include health care providers, school staff, and extended family members, such as grandparents. You will have contact with the child’s family in visits and case conferences and you will keep the family and assigned worker up to date on how the child is doing.

Working together is necessary for the child’s future. Children will feel better about themselves if they know their parents and resource family are working together. The more information you can share with the child’s parents, the better the child’s transition from your home will be, and the more successful reunification will be.

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect

Resource parents are mandated reporters under the State of Alaska statute AS 47.17.020(a). A mandated reporter is required to report suspected abuse or neglect. If you suspect a child has been abused or neglected, report immediately by:

• Telephone: 1-800-478-4444
• E-mail: reportchildabuse@alaska.gov
• Fax: 907-269-3939

OR contact your nearest OCS office. Per Alaska statutes, suspected child sexual abuse needs to be reported to both OCS and your local law enforcement agency.

If you are not sure whether to report, then report. Mandated reporters are not expected to investigate suspected child abuse or neglect before they make the required report. It is the duty of OCS to investigate allegations of abuse or neglect.

If you are reporting suspected abuse on a child in your care, you will also need to inform your licensing worker of your concerns.

Meeting the Criminal Justice Clearance Requirement

One of the requirements for being a resource family is meeting a fingerprint-based background check.

Why is Fingerprinting Necessary?

• To ensure the child’s safety in out-of-home care.
• To reduce predictable risk to the child.
• To verify the identity of the person being checked with information received.

Who Needs to be Fingerprinted?

• Unlicensed relative caregivers,
• Foster Homes and Foster Group Homes (All household members age 16 and older),
• Employees or volunteers who work with children and youth,
• Child Placement Agencies,
• Prospective adoptive parents.
• Prospective guardianship parents, and
• Anyone with direct access to your home. If you are unsure of who this may be, please consult with your licensing worker.

Where Can Fingerprinting be Done?

• Every OCS office has LiveScan equipment to fingerprint foster families for electronic submittal of fingerprints.
• Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) or village police departments.
• Alaska State Trooper Posts

What is the Cost?

If you are printed at OCS or by an OCS employee, OCS will pay for the cost of fingerprinting and processing fees for foster care applicants, relatives, and adoption or guardianship homes. If you elect to have fingerprints taken by another agency, you may incur the cost for fingerprinting. A child placement agency’s foster parent may incur a cost for fingerprinting, or the placement agency may cover those costs.

Who Receives the Results?

Fingerprint results are received by the agency that submitted them and are kept confidential.

What if a Barrier Crime is Found?

• If a household member, age 16 or older, is found to have an existing barrier crime or condition, a reconsideration may be requested, or variance application submitted.
• The Department will review the request for reconsideration or variance application and make a recommendation to the Commissioner of the Department of Health & Social Services.
• The Commissioner will either approve or deny the variance application.

Where can I get more information?

• Division of Health Care Services, Certification and Licensing Section, Background Check Program at: https://health.alaska.gov/dhcs/Pages/cl/bgcheck/default.aspx
• Department of Public Safety, Statewide Services, Records & Identification at: http://www.dps.state.ak.us/statewide/background/.

Who to Call in Certain Situations

The Office of Children’s Services employs many people. Each person has a different role and set of responsibilities. It can be frustrating to call one person and be told that you should be calling someone else.

In general, call the child’s Assigned Worker for any questions, problems, or incidents involving the child in care. Call the Licensing Worker with any changes in your home or family composition. In some cases, more than one person must be notified.

Below is a partial list of “Who to Call” in certain situations. If you are not able to reach your worker, then call a supervisor.