Foster Parent Manual
Part I

1. Emergencies and who to call

If you have any doubt whether a situation is an emergency or not, it is better to call an EA social worker. Be safe; if it's enough to have you concerned, it's enough to make the call. EA staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While you may routinely have contact with only one social worker, feel free to call any employee of the agency. All staff are expected to cover each other's cases at any time. Make sure you have a "Who to Call" guide in your home file.

For medical emergencies please contact the appropriate medical facility directly. Treat the situation as if it were your child in trouble. You must notify your EA social worker, or any EA staff, as soon as possible, but no later than the following working day. EA is required to inform the necessary parties of what happened and how the situation is being handled. If time permits, take the "Medical Consent for Treatment" form and the child's Medi-Cal card with you to the hospital. It will save time and trouble. In the event of extreme medical or psychological emergencies, ie. life threatening illness, injury, or suicide behavior, take the necessary safety measures, then contact EA staff immediately.

On missing or runaway situations you are expected to use reasonable and prudent judgment. For example, when is "out too late" serious enough to consider the foster child missing or a runaway? The decisions will involve taking into consideration the child's age and current circumstance. In any case, the absence should not be more than about one hour before you call someone. When you've determined it is time for action, you can call the local police, sheriff, or EA to make a report.

When a runaway is reported to the local law enforcement agency, your legal responsibility ends. You are no longer responsible or liable for the missing child. You may then do whatever you feel appropriate under the circumstances, such as searching for the child. However, do not attempt to force a runaway child to come with you, after having reported the situation to the Sheriff's Office. Notify EA, or the Sheriff, of the child's whereabouts rather than using force. For very young children, it is permissible to use force, but only when the child is in clear danger. Call EA for help or consultation.

If you should have the occasion to call law enforcement about a missing or runaway child, they will want descriptive information such as the kind and color of clothing worn, time last seen, physical description of the child, where you suspect they went, who their friends are, etc. Have that information handy before calling.

State Licensing mandates we notify them of all incidents within 24 hours or the next working day. For this reason, it is imperative EA be notified as soon as possible of all incidents, medical emergencies, and runaways. An incident is defined as anything that affects the physical or emotional health or safety of a child. This is a broad statement and includes abuse, unexplained absences, epidemic outbreaks, poisonings, catastrophes, fires, injuries, etc. Again, when in doubt, call an EA social worker.

2. Documents and Forms

EA is responsible for maintaining all records on foster families and children. You will be given a list of the documents to be kept in your home. We will supply you with, and update, those documents periodically. Among the documents available to you is the child's Court report. You have free access to that report for a few days at a time, but otherwise, it must remain in our locked files because it is a confidential document. There are no secret files which are unavailable to you (unless they are not available to EA). For example, some information related to the natural parent may not be given to EA.

If you hold a County License rather than our Certification, you will be inspected by a County worker at least once a year. We will help you maintain the necessary forms for that license. We will also prepare you for the annual relicense inspection. Our Certification requires essentially the same process, only our staff does the "inspection." This annual inspection includes an update of the original "home inspection" completed at time of initial certification. An EA social worker will conduct the inspection and review your home files to confirm all documentation is current, including documentation of fire drills. If the home is not current at time of inspection, the home is typically given a probation period of thirty days to bring the home into full compliance with Community Care Licensing regulations and EA standards. Some infractions may be serious enough to demand immediate correction. Your social worker will discuss all plans of correction with you and provide assistance when possible.

Any person 18 or older living in the home, including your adult natural children, must be fingerprinted. We must also submit prints on regular baby sitters. In no case should you use an older male or teenage boy to baby-sit a female foster child without letting us know in advance. However, EA is not likely to give permission for male babysitters (other than the foster father) to supervise female foster children.

Fire drills must be conducted every 6 months and documented. A good way to remember is to conduct the drill when you change your clocks forward and back with time changes. Keep a record of your fire drill. Something as simple as a note on your calendar will suffice, just be sure to keep the calendar at the end of the year.

Both foster parents must attend a first aid course prior to certification. Currently only one parent is required to complete a CPR course for certification. Foster parents must attend a water safety course, as well, for certification. This applies to all foster parents with pools and anyone who takes children to lakes, rivers or other bodies of water. EA's first aid course lasts approximately 4 hours and is good for three years. Additionally, EA's water safety course is good for three years. CPR is only good for one year and must be updated annually. After that, the courses must be retaken to maintain certification. It is not required that the course be EA sponsored so if there is a comparable course available in the community, check with a social worker; it is probably acceptable.

All foster homes must also have a first aid kit in a container. This first aid kit must contain, as a minimum, the following items: sterile 1st Aid dressings, bandages, adhesive tape, scissors, tweezers, thermometer, antiseptic solution and a 1st Aid manual. The "Survival Guide" from a Pacific Bell telephone book will suffice as a manual. Any other manual, such as a Red Cross First Aid book, should be a relatively current edition.

3. Medical/Dental

All children must have a physical exam shortly before, or no more than 30 days after, placement. If a physical exam is not possible within the 30 day limit, an appointment must have been made within the first 30 days after placement. Please remember to obtain a copy of the physical exam, TB test and dental checkup form. Give us the papers so we can keep a copy and return one to you.

Almost all medical and dental costs are paid by Medi-Cal, but some children may be on their parents' insurance. In either case, you are not responsible for the cost of medical treatment. In the event your child does not receive a Medi-Cal Card within the first 30 days, discuss the alternatives with your social worker.

The physical exam must be repeated yearly. Ongoing or periodical medical contacts will substitute for yearly exams, but we will need copies of the physician's notes for verification. Dental exams or dental contacts must be made at least once a year, the first one being within six months of admission. A good rule of thumb is to schedule the first dental appointment with the receipt of the initial Medi-Cal Card.

All drugs must be locked no matter how old the child is. This includes prescription medications for anyone in the house, over-the-counter medications, and even vitamins.

All over-the-counter (PRN) medications given to children must have a physician's referral, similar to a prescription, for each medication. The foster parents must document all symptoms displayed in the PRN log.

All medications prescribed to the foster child must be documented in the child's home file and our office file. If unused medications are destroyed, it must be documented in the record. There is space for this on the reverse of the "Centrally Stored Medication" form where both the foster parent and an adult witness sign to acknowledge the destruction of medication. Under no circumstances is a child to administer their own medications, no matter their age, unless specifically authorized by a physician in writing. This includes medication such as asthma inhalers. The physician's approval must be maintained in the child's home file.

Never throw away a Medi-Cal Card. When no longer valid, file it in the child's home file. Sometimes we need to use the card for an old bill. Having a County issue a duplicate card is a slow process. Most children now receive a plastic Medi-Cal card similar to a credit card. It is important to keep track of this card and not loose it. Also, remember to send it with a child when he or she leaves your home.

Surgery, including minor items such as ear piercing, requires consent from the child's guardian, county social worker, or probation officer. Otherwise, routine and emergency care is up to your judgement.

Foster parents may incur minor expenses for medications and non-prescription drugs. Medi-Cal covers nearly all prescription drugs, but there are a few not covered. Unfortunately, Medi-Cal does not cover any non-prescription medications. This expense usually doesn't amount to a large cost, but can occasionally. Foster parents pay for these drugs and medications up to a maximum of $20.00 in each month. EA is responsible for costs above that amount. Similar to an insurance deductible, once you have spent $20.00 on non-Medi-Cal covered expenses in any month, give the receipts to your social worker for reimbursement.

4. 24 hour supervision

The State's policy regarding supervision fluctuates periodically. Currently, you may not leave a child home alone at any time, except with prior written exception from Community Care Licensing. The child should typically be at least fifteen years old and be fairly responsible. The child's case history and current needs will be considered in granting such an exception. Both the County and EA social worker must be in agreement to unsupervised time. It seems that granting exceptions is not uniformly determined, but varies, depends upon who in the State reviews the request. Ask your social worker for assistance in this matter if you want to leave the child home alone. Without an exception, it is against State regulations to leave a child alone and unsupervised in the home. Also, just because a child has such an exception, it is still up to you when and for how long that child may be unsupervised.

It's your responsibility to know where your foster child is at all times. Where the child goes is up to your judgment, including who the child is supervised (or baby-sat) by. Babysitting of young children on a regular, ongoing basis, is best provided by a licensed day care provider. Second best is a babysitter who is fingerprinted by EA. Remember, all regular day care providers are required to submit fingerprints and child abuse index clearance forms to EA, except licensed providers.

The child may be allowed to attend out of home activities without supervision, with your permission and with the agreement of the County and EA social worker. These liberties are noted in the Needs and Services plan located in the child's file. This may be reasonable for a teenager, particularly when at a job or during a date, but may not be suitable for a younger child at any time.

The Courts seem to have drastically limited the liability of foster families in judicial decisions. For example, foster parents make a reasonable decision to allow a child to go someplace and something tragic or illegal happens, the Courts have not held foster parents liable. Fortunately, you are permitted to make mistakes and reasonable errors of judgment.

5. Natural Parents

You will usually know if there is any anticipated contact between the foster child and the birth parent(s). If visitation is permitted (by the Child Protective Services Worker or Probation Officer) you should be given adequate advance warning. If adequate notice is not provided, we encourage foster parents to cooperate whenever possible. EA policy prohibits having natural parent visitations in the foster home. You are not required to have the birth parents in your home for any reason. While that is EA policy, EA is flexible and has permitted such visits to occur when requested by foster parents. Initially, most visits occur in the EA office or CPS office and are supervised. Nearer to reunification, visitation may be unsupervised, often in the birth parent(s) home.

Let us know if you are having any problem with the natural parents. We can take various measures to protect the safety and tranquility of foster parents. Those measures include informal information passed along to the natural parent, but may also include formal judicial orders for restraint.

It's a good idea to keep a log of events involving the child, particularly for younger children still in the reunification process. This includes behaviors exhibited surrounding visits. You will have more contact with the child than social workers, attorneys or the judge. What you say or observe can have a significant impact on the child's future.

6. Traveling

If you go for a day visit across the border to another State for shopping or recreation, there is no need to inform us. However, if you take an overnight trip out of the area, you must notify us prior to leaving. We will notify the child's Social Worker or Probation Officer, to keep them informed. Many counties require a special medical consent or court order for overnight trips or out-of-state travel, therefor adequate, prior notice is imperative. Most Counties request one month notification for out-of-state travel in order to insure time for court approval and completion of travel documents. Out-of-state travel may be denied by the County or court if requests are not timely or if travel affects visitation.

7. Money and Property

The money you receive as reimbursement for foster care expenses is your money, not the child's money. Our understanding is that it is tax exempt and that you don't have to account for it to the government. You cannot handle more than $50 of the child's money, such as allowances, inheritances, or earnings from employment, unless you become bonded. Therefore, it is best to open a bank account in the child's name with the guardian as a necessary second signer for withdrawals.

EA asks that all foster parents sign up for direct deposit of the foster care reimbursement check. This saves an incredible amount of time and money. The necessary forms will be filled out during the certification process. Money will be transferred electronically into the account(s) of your choice 2 days after the bank receives the amounts. This means you will normally have the money no later than the third or fourth day of the month.

There is no set amount for allowances; use your best judgment and what is appropriate for your family. Some allowance is customary, but most foster parents make it contingent upon completing certain home chores.

At the time of a child's placement in your home, a record will be made of all personal belongings. This record should be updated as possessions are added and maintained the the home file. Discarded or outgrown possessions must be documented as well. All children should have an adequate supply of clothing that fits and is in good repair. It is not mandatory that you purchase only new clothing as long as what is provided is presentable. A good rule of thumb is that your foster child should be dressed in the same manner as your own children. Sales, thrift shops, and rummage sales are okay as long as the clothing is in good shape and looks appropriate. It is not acceptable for foster money to go mainly for an upscale, expensive home, while the child wears shabby hand-me-downs. If money is saved in buying second-hand clothes, we expect to see the savings devoted to some other aspect of the child's life, such as recreation, travel, or personal possessions. The EA social worker will inspect children's belongings every six months to ensure adequate possesions. Following is a list of the minimum acceptable quantities of clothing for children in foster care. You are encouraged to purchase more than these minimums but less is unacceptable. Remember, any item purchased expressly for a foster child becomes the property of that child. Record should be made of the purchase and the child must be allowed to take these items with him/her when leaving your home. A clothing allowance will be provided two weeks after initial placement, and again annually, to assist you in maintaining an adequate clothing supply. However, a portion of your monthly reimbursements is expected to be used to meet and exceed the minimum requirements.

Children sometimes arrive at your doorstep with no clothing other than what they wear. In that case, you are not expected to immediately purchase all clothes necessary to meet the minimal clothing standards described below. However, by the end of the second month, the child is expected to have at least the minimum clothing as described below. By the end of the sixth month, the child is expected to have at least double the minimum clothing.

8. Minimum Clothing Requirements