to a Joint Overview of the Placement and Residential Licensing Unit and its Partnership with DCFS

1. Division of Child Care & Early Childhood Education and Division of Children and Family Services to a Joint Overview of the Placement and Residential Licensing Unitand its Partnership with DCFS WELCOME

3. Placement and Residential Licensing Specialists The Child Welfare Agency Review Board grants licenses. Licensing Specialists ensure that licensed agency’s meet minimum licensing standards.   Licensing Specialists: • provide consultation, training and technical assistance to applicants or licensed agencies as needed. • investigate licensing complaints on the Agency. • assists with maltreatment investigations. • monitor existing licensed agencies.

4. The Placement and Residential Licensing Unit The PRLU is authorized to inspect and investigate any proposed or operating children’s residential facility or child placement agency to determine if the facility/agency will be or is operating in compliance with the Minimum Licensing Standards for Child Welfare Agencies. These inspections include: • Foster Home Records and Home Inspections • Children’s Records • Policies and Procedures • Personnel Records • Adoption Home Records and Children’s Records

5. Children’s Record Reviews These reviews will start next year. • Records will usually be selected for children placed in DCFS foster homes within their primary county. • Records will be selected from different Family Service Workers. • The children’s record will be reviewed to ensure compliance with Minimum Licensing Standards. • The items required are already required by DCFS policy so the PRLU won’t be checking for anything new. • A majority of the children’s record will be reviewed directly from CHRIS, however there are items that can only be found in the hard file. • The PRLU checklist used will be distributed to DCFS staff prior to these reviews beginning.

6. DCFS Purpose and Goals • DCFS is licensed by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education to approve foster and adoptive homes. • DCFS recruits foster homes in order to provide a temporary, stable and loving homes for children who cannot safely remain in their own homes. • DCFS also recruits adoptive homes to provide a permanent, forever family for those children in foster care who cannot safely return home.

7. DCFS Purpose and Goals cont. • DCFS places children based on their identified needs and strives to place siblings together when in the best interest of the children. • DCFS works to ensure that foster care and other placements support goals of permanency. • DCFS works to use permanent placements with relatives or other adults who a close relationship to the child or children.

8. Assessing, Processing and Retaining Foster Homes DCFS assesses, processes and retains foster home by: • Engaging prospective foster families. • Explaining the qualification/training process. • Determining the degree of interest and appropriateness of potential foster homes. • Monitoring the entire application process. • Processing all opening paperwork and conducting home visits.

9. Assessing, Processing and Retaining Foster Homes cont. • Visiting homes quarterly to ensure compliance with licensing standards. • Completing annual re-evaluations to ensure compliance with licensing standards and DCFS requirements as well as overall appropriateness of the home. • Investigating reports of non-compliance with licensing standards (licensing complaints) involving foster homes. • Investigating other foster home requirement/non-maltreatment violations.

10. Assessing, Processing and Retaining Foster Homescont. • Working with the family to correct violations and monitoring corrective action plans. • Developing individual training plans for foster parents to determine skills needed or to enhance current skills in order to better care for the children. • Maintaining foster home record per policy and licensing standards.

11. Other DCFS staff’s role in maintaining compliance with licensing standards in foster homes: • Communication with the Resource Worker • Addressing safety issues in the home: • Medication accessible to children (200.6.2) • Be aware of safety plans (200.4.14) • Not placing more children than the foster home is approved for (200.1.4, 200.2.7) • Being aware of sleeping arrangement standards (200.5) • Including foster parents in case planning (200.11.5)

12. Monitor Visits

13. The PRLU’s Monitoring of DCFS DCFS foster homes will be inspected at least once each year and more often if deemed necessary to determine compliance with licensing standards. Monitor visits to DCFS foster homes include inspections of foster home records and inspections of the foster home.

14. Record Reviews

15. Record Reviews • The Foster Home Record Review Check sheet is used to review the physical record. • Review findings with the Resource Worker (if available). • The Specialist will copy the Floor Plan and Foster Home face sheet out of case record.

16. Record Review The Licensing Specialist will deal immediately with any issues of imminent harm to the child. • The Resource Worker shall be advised of any issues that can and should be immediately corrected and correction obtained. • The Supervisor shall be called immediately regarding any issues that cannot be immediately corrected that represent a risk to children in care

17. Foster Home Inspections

18. Foster Home Inspections • These visits can be announced or unannounced. • If announced the Licensing Specialist will contact the foster parents to schedule the inspection.

19. Foster Home Inspections All parts of the home and grounds shall be viewed to ensure that all areas are free of serious hazards and comply with licensing standards for foster homes. An interview with the foster parent(s) shall be conducted to ensure that the foster parent(s) and home complies with licensing standards.

20. Foster Home Inspections • The Licensing Specialist will deal immediately with any issues of imminent harm to the child (examples - access to medications, poisonous substances available to young or developmentally delayed children, structural damage potentially injurious to occupants). • The foster parent shall be advised of any issues that can be immediately corrected and correction obtained. • The Licensing Supervisor shall be called immediately regarding any issues that cannot be immediately corrected that represent a risk to children in care.

21. Foster Home Inspections • The following will be completed: • Foster Home Check Sheet • Foster Child/Parent Questionnaire

22. Foster Home Inspections An exit interview will be conducted. • The signature of the foster parent(s) will be obtained. • A copy of the Safety Assessment Form (522) will be left with the foster parent(s).

23. Final Documentation • The Licensing specialist will cite, on the compliance form (521), the violations noted at the record review and/or the home visit, briefly describing the violation and listing a compliance date for all violations. The seriousness of the threat and level of danger to children will be considered when determining compliance dates. • If technical assistance is given “TA” will be listed and any technical assistance statements. • The Agency shall be notified immediately (by e-mail or phone) of serious safety issues discovered during foster home inspections.

24. Final Documentation Copies of the compliance form (521), safety assessment form (522), and questionnaires will be maintained in the Licensing Specialists’ foster home file, the PRLU Central Office foster home’s file, and provided to the Resource Worker (excluding questionnaires), the DCFS Area Director (excluding questionnaires), and DCFS Director.

25. Foster Home Inspections The Resource worker will: • Conference with the Licensing Specialist on any issues needing clarifications or follow-up with the foster parent and/or Family Service Worker on non-compliance. • Coordinate the completion of non-compliance with the foster parent and/or Family Service Worker. • Collect information and report the status any follow-up to the Licensing Specialist.

26. Final Documentation • Depending upon the nature of the violation it may be necessary for the Licensing Specialist to return to the agency or foster home on or shortly after the correction date. Some corrections may be verified via mail, e-mail, fax or by receiving copies of required documents. • The Placement and Residential Licensing Specialist should receive verification of corrections from the Resource Worker by the compliance date. • When notifying the Specialist of a correction the agency should list the standard number that was violated, a detailed explanation of how the violation was corrected, and the correction date. HOW???

27. Examples of Violations Cited Smith 111111 Due 6/18 • 200.1.9 Need approval letter • 200.4.14 Need written safety plan signed by both foster parents for trampoline    Due 6/29 • 200.3.5 Need current T.B. test   • 200.4.12 Need current rabies vaccinations  Jones 222222 Due 6/18 • 200.2.8 Provide proof of liability insurance       • 200.4.14 Need written safety plan signed by both foster parents for 4-wheeler/ATV   Doe 333333 Due 6/18 • 100.4.4c Certify that Sondra does not have a criminal record     • 200.2.7 Specify in home study the number, age, sex, and other characteristics of children the home is approved to provide care for.   

28. Examples of Correction Notification: Smith 111111 Due 6/18 • 200.1.9 Need approval letter Corrected 5/18/10   Approval letter placed in file. • 200.4.14 Need written safety plan signed by both foster parents for trampoline   Corrected 5/28/10    Written safety plan signed by both parents and Resource Worker and placed in file.  Due 6/29 • 200.3.5 Need current T.B. test   Corrected 6/10/10 - TB test completed, card copied and filed in file  • 200.4.12 Need current rabies vaccinations  Corrected 5/28/10 – Rabies vaccine administered and receipt with canines name copied and filed in file   Jones 222222 Due 6/18 • 200.2.8 Provide proof of liability insurance       Corrected 5/29/10   Proof of insurance in parent file  • 200.4.14 Need written safety plan signed by both foster parents for 4-wheeler/ATV    Corrected 5/31/10   - Written safety plan regarding 4-wheeler signed by both parents and Resource Worker and placed in file.  Doe 333333 Due 6/18 • 100.4.4c Certify that Sondra does not have a criminal record     Corrected 5/28/10   Written and signed certification by parents placed in file. • 200.2.7 Specify in home study the number, age, sex, and other characteristics of children the home is approved to provide care for.    Corrected 5/19/10  - Home study addendum listing number, age, sex and other characteristics of children the home is approved to provide care for filed in file. 

29. Final Documentation The Licensing Specialists “job” is not done until all corrections are received. • An extension for compliance dates can be granted depending on the nature of the violation. • If timely compliance is not obtained, the Licensing Specialist will notify the Licensing Supervisor.

30. Extensions • All extension requests must be requested by an e-mail to the Specialist and the Area Director must be copied. • The extension request shall include: • An outline of what has been corrected • Justification for the request • A reasonable timeline for completion. • Extension dates must be approved by the Specialist. Extensions should be exceptions

31. DCFS Compliance Notification Progression: • Original Compliance Due Date or Extension Due Date: • DCFS Resource Worker • 1 week over due: • DCFS Resource Worker, PRL Specialist’s Supervisor, and DCFS Resource Worker’s Area Director • 2 weeks over due: • DCFS Resource Worker, DCFS Resource Worker’s Area Director, DCFS Assistant Director, PRL Specialist’s Supervisor, and PRLU Program Manager • 3 weeks over due: • DCFS Resource Worker, DCFS Resource Worker’s Area Director, DCFS Assistant Director,DCFS Director,PRL Specialist’s Supervisor, and PRLU Program Manager

32. Quarterly Monitoring and Re-evaluation

33. Licensing’s Expectations Quarterly Monitoring DCFS Quarterly Monitoring The Family Service/Resource Worker will monitor the foster family home at least quarterly for continued compliance with the standards of approval for foster homes. The Family Service/Resource Worker shall formally complete a Checklist for Compliance (CFS-475) on the foster family every three months and will file the completed form in the family foster home record. The Family Service/Resource Worker or agency designee will formally complete Section F (On-going Monitoring) of the CFS-475. • 200.9.1 The agency shall monitor the foster home at least quarterly for continued compliance with licensing standards for foster homes. • 200.9.4 The agency shall keep documentation of quarterly monitoring visits evaluations in the foster home record signed and dated by the person conducting the visit and the foster parent. • All parts of the home and grounds shall be viewed to ensure that all areas are free of serious hazards and comply with licensing standards for foster homes. An interview with the foster parent(s) shall be conducted to ensure that the foster parent(s) and home complies with licensing standards.

34. Licensing’s Expectations Re-Evaluation DCFS Re-Evaluation Family foster homes must be reviewed annually; i.e., no later than the anniversary month of the family foster home's approval, to assure that they continue to meet all standards and policy requirements. The Family Service/Resource Worker shall formally complete a Family Foster Parent Reevaluation (CFS-451). The foster home record must document that the foster parent(s) maintained current certification in both CPR and First Aid. Any family foster home that does not continue to meet standards will be closed for placement of children in foster care. 200.9.2 The child placement agency shall conduct an annual re-evaluation of the foster family home. Any foster home that does not substantially comply with licensing standards shall not be approved for placement until compliance is achieved. 200.9.4 The agency shall keep documentation of annual re-evaluations in the foster home record signed and dated by the person conducting the visit and the foster parent.

35. Licensing’s Expectations Re-Evaluation DCFS Re-Evaluation Other than annual reevaluations, family foster homes also shall be reevaluated if any of the following conditions develop: Separation or divorce of family foster parents; Death or serious illness among the members of the foster family; Change in residence; Loss of or change in employment status by either family foster parent; Suspected maltreatment of any child in the home; or Any other major life changes in the family foster home. 200.9.3 The child placement agency shall re-evaluate the home of the foster family experiences any major life changes such as: • Marriage • Divorce • Separation • Health problems • Death • Change of residence • Change of household composition * If a Family Service Worker becomes aware of one of these situations they should notify the Resource Worker.

36. Alternative Compliance vs.Policy Waiver

37. Please see handouts: • Alternative Compliance (AC) vs. Policy Waiver for the procedures for requesting a Policy Waiver or an Alternative Compliance • Alternative Compliance Requests for common Minimum Licensing Standards for which Alternative Compliance is requested • Documentation for Alternative Compliance Requests • DCFS Policies/Standards that are not Minimum Licensing Standards • Permission to Work with Children

38. References • For more information on DCFS foster and adoptive homes, please see: • DCFS Policy VII: Services to Support Foster Families • DCFS Policy VIII: Services to Provide Other Permanent Living Situations • DCFS Publication 22: Standards of Approval for Family Foster Homes • DCFS Publication 30: Family Foster Parent Handbook