Often a resource family will see problems before an assigned worker will. It is important that you notify the assigned worker when you see any concerns, or unusual behaviors. This is especially important if you are seeing behaviors such as:
Keep the child’s assigned worker informed through telephone calls, confidential email, voice mail messages or written documentation. If you need to talk to your assigned worker immediately, or have not received communication back within 48 hours, contact the assigned worker’s supervisor or your licensing worker for assistance.
OCS policy requires the assigned worker to contact resource families for children in custody at least once a month. In two-parent homes, efforts will be made to visit both caregivers whenever possible. The majority of the visits will be in the resource family’s home and face-to-face. These monthly meetings are an opportunity for you to discuss with the assigned worker any concerns, needs or information regarding the child.
Good communication with the child’s parent(s) benefits a child in care. Any connections you make with the child’s parents can be positive role modeling for children in care. Include the child’s parent whenever possible to keep their connection to their child (e.g., haircuts, birthdays, holidays, celebrations, school events, etc.). For additional information, see Chapter 19, Family Contacts.
Birth parents have inherent “residual rights” that ensure they must be consulted regarding some areas of a child’s life. The placement agency must obtain the permission of the child’s parents for the following situations:
If in doubt, contact your assigned worker before allowing the activity.
When the parents are deceased or their rights have been terminated, the placement agency has the authority to consent to some of the above situations; others need to be approved through the courts. Since there are specific procedures for each of the above situations, always contact the assigned worker to find out what is required.
When a child is in your home, you are responsible for the daily care of the child. All children in the home should be treated fairly. That means all children should expect the same level of chores and give them the same things you give your own children, if developmentally appropriate. Some children in care have special physical or emotional needs and may require additional care and supports. Use the following information only as a general guide in your daily care of a child. If you have specific concerns about the care of the child in your home contact your assigned worker.
A foster parent may hire a babysitter using reasonable and prudent parent standard and follow the below guidelines.
Babysitters are excused from the background check requirement.
A foster parent shall use the reasonable and prudent parent standard when designating alternative caregivers. An alternative caregiver is designated when you will be away from the foster home for more than 24 hours following these guidelines:
Relative caregivers are expected to contact the assigned caseworker to ensure background checks have been completed as needed and that your alternate caregiver is approved.
Any major change in a child’s appearance such as cutting a child’s hair, coloring hair, tattooing, body/ear piercing, or other altering methods need the permission of the child’s parents or the assigned caseworker. Regular haircuts that keep a child’s basic style are left to the resource family’s discretion. If foster children change their appearance without your knowledge, notify the assigned caseworker when you become aware of the change.
All snacks and meals served should be nutritious, well-balanced and in sufficient quality to maintain good health and to meet a child’s dietary needs.
A resource family is encouraged to provide food reflective of the ethnic and cultural background of the child. If you do not know how to prepare these foods, ask:
A resource family shall communicate food allergies or special dietary need of the child and plan accordingly
Approval of the child’s caseworker and written instructions by a physician, parent or guardian before serving nutrient concentrates, nutrient supplements, or modified diets, including therapeutic or allergy diets.
Follow pediatrician recommendation for nutrition and feeding of infants;
Some children may be eligible for Women’s, Infants and Children (WIC) assistance. Contact your local WIC office for further information or view the criteria online at https://health.alaska.gov/dpa/Pages/nutri/WIC/default.aspx.
Some children may have behaviors related to food or mealtimes, such as:
Some of these issues may be based on physical or psychological causes. Consult the child’s assigned worker, counselor, or health provider if a child in your home shows any of these behaviors.
Except when directed by a physician for medical reasons, you may not deny food to a child, force-feed a child, or otherwise coerce a child to eat against the child’s will for any reason. A resource family may not use methods of behavior modification that interfere with a child’s basic needs including providing inadequate food or withholding food or other items essential to the protection, safety, or wellbeing of a child. A child cannot be forced to eat or have hot sauce, soap, or other burning or foul-tasting substance placed in a child’s mouth. A resource family should not make drastic changes in a child’s diet, such as going from eating meat to being a vegetarian.
Free or reduced-price meals are offered to many students in public schools and nonprofit, private schools through a program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. All children in state custody placed in out-of-home care are categorically eligible for free meals at school without application, regardless of your income.
Contact your child’s school for more information on the School Lunch Program. Schools should not engage in practices that may cause students to feel embarrassed or stigmatized. Contact the school if you are concerned about the handling of its lunch program. Remember that special care should be taken not to make the child feel awkward about receiving a free lunch.
Doing chores will help children feel useful and included in your family, as well as teach them responsibility. A child in care can be expected to share equally in the chores expected of other family members of the same age. Chores should be appropriate for a child’s age, health and abilities. Household chores should be shared by all family members and should not interfere with school, health and necessary recreation of the child in care. A child should not be expected to perform chores that are your responsibility, or that are chores that should be shared among several individuals (for example, the entire family’s laundry).
Guidelines include:
It is important for a child and youth to participate in recreational, school, religious, and community activities. Participating in activities can help children and youth develop skills, build self-esteem, and gain a sense of achievement. Some children will come to your home with existing social activities. These activities should continue for the child while in your home.
You are encouraged to promote opportunities to participate in groups such as scouts, 4-H, little league, church, Tribal events, and to take lessons in their areas of interest (music, dance, art, swimming, etc.). Children should be encouraged to participate in activities that are appropriate and safe for them. If you have questions or concerns about participation, please contact the assigned worker.
Support the child's choice of participation in religious or faith-based services, ethnic or cultural events, including providing for transportation to those acctivities.
It is essential that a child’s activities take place within a safe environment. This requires common sense and good judgment on your part plus a full appreciation of your responsibility, a concern for the protection of children in your care, and commitment to maintaining high standards of safety.
Resource parents should be positive role models and teach good safety habits by example. The following guidelines should help you ensure a safe environment for children:
Resource families may sign permission slips for routine activities such as school trips, scout events, or sports activities if the child’s absence from the home is less than 72 hours.
Resource families are encouraged to assist children in care in obtaining library cards. Libraries in Alaska are individually overseen by the local government and vary in their policies in allowing underage youth to obtain a card in their own name. Check with your local library about your responsibilities for and with the child’s library card.
Routine transportation of a child in care is the responsibility of the resource family. This includes transportation to family visits, medical facilities, school events, social and sport activities, religious activities, shopping, and counseling appointments.
A vehicle used for the transportation of children should be licensed in accordance with state and local law. Resource families must have current liability insurance for the transporting vehicle in effect and comply with having appropriate child passenger restraint systems. See Section 18, Safety. A vehicle used to transport children must be smoke-free.
Decisions about allowances depend upon the age and maturity of the child and how your family handles allowances. The amount should conform to family and if allowances are given to other children in the foster home. Be sure the child understands how much the child is to receive. For licensed foster parents, allowances should be paid out of the regular monthly foster care payment. A foster parent shall consider money earned or received as a gift or allowance or from another source as the child's personal property. The foster parent is responsible for educating the child about money management and planning as age appropriate. A member of the foster home may not borrow or spend money acquired by the child in care. A foster parent may limit the money a child possesses or has access to in the child's best interest. A foster parent shall notify the casewokeeif a child had funds or savings exceeding $200.00.
It is important to recognize the religious beliefs of a child’s family and respect the religious preference expressed by the child’s parents. You also need to respect the religious preference of the child. This means locating a resource and enabling (including providing transportation) for the child to attend services of the child’s religion.
You may take a child to your own place of worship if the child and the parents do not object. You cannot require that the child attend church; nor can you prevent church attendance as a consequence or a punishment for a child’s behavior.
Children in care are required to attend school. Enrolling a child in school is generally the responsibility of the resource family in which the child is placed. Your assigned worker will tell you what is known of the child’s previous school experience including the child’s strengths, special needs, or problem behaviors (truancy, fighting or special class placement). A child shall attend a public school unless there is Department approval for alternative education. A resource family may not transfer a child from the child's home school to another school without permission from the child'scaseworkerr. A resource family shall support the child's education plan as indicated by the Department and the child's school providing space for homework and materials needed.
December 10, 2015, President Obama signed into law Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA’s missions is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education.
It is important that you involve yourself in the child’s school progress and activities; this shows the child that you are interested and that you care. Your relationship with school should be like any other parent/school relationship. Attend all parent-teacher conferences concerning the child and keep the assigned worker informed of the child’s progress or problems in school. If you detect problems that require special help, tell your assigned worker so you both can advocate with the school. Keep copies of report cards and progress reports and share with the child’s parents and assigned worker. Most importantly, you should involve the child’s parents in all aspects of the child’s schooling and school activities, such as inviting the parent to parent-teacher conferences, school concerts, or sports activities.
As a resource family, you have the responsibility for the child’s daily school activities and for consenting to routine activities regarding education matters utilizing the resonable and prudent parent standards. You have the authority and responsibility to
You may sign report cards and permission slips for routine educational activities. The child’s parents, however, must consent to class trips that will interfere with court-ordered, parental visits.
When a child requires an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the school district will designate a person to oversee the child’s IEP. Generally, the child’s parent must sign the IEP, but if the parent is unable, the school appoints a surrogate parent. Children in care should attend school through the local school district. A child may be enrolled in a private school only when:
If you want to consider a private school or homeschooling for the child in your care, discuss the matter with the child’s assigned worker.
When a child in custody is moved from one placement to another that requires enrollment in another school district, the OCS assigned worker will ensure that enrollment for the child in the new school is done and all paperwork transferred. You will need to work with the assigned worker, and the child’s parents, to update all necessary documents.
Your home must provide individual beds or cribs, except that children under six years of age of the same sex may share a bed with approval from the Department. The sleeping space for the child should be similar to the sleeping space of other household members. A child is not allowed to share a bed with an adult.For infants, the resource family must follow safe sleep practicies:
Babies less than 1 year old must sleep alone in a safety-approved crib, nothing in the crib with the baby, and on their back. If you have questions, talk with your licensing worker.
For legal purposes and for the child’s sense of identity, a child in care should use their own name. Resource families will use the child’s legal name and not give the child a different name. However, a child may have a nickname they prefer to be called. A child in care should not assume the name of the resource family.
Resource families may use the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard in decisions regarding travel for children in custody. OCS approval is not required if the trip is in the child’s best interest and will not hinder the child’s permanency plan, education, or medical/mental health needs.
Resource families will notify OCS when planning travel for the child in custody. Approval for travel is require when one or more of the following situations are present:
Travel requests requiring approval, or travel reimbursement request must be obtained before the trip, and requests should be submitted as soon as possible.
If the child needs to obtain a passport, additional time is required. Therefore, travel must be requested as soon as possible and no later than 10 weeks in advance.