Ky.gov
Effective: 3/1/2023

12.17 Foster and Adoptive Home Reviews

Legal Authority

Introduction

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Practice Guidance

  • The narrative of the foster or adoptive home review contains:
    • Identifying information;
    • Current composition of the household;
    • A description of the situation that initiated the review;
    • An evaluation of the family's functioning to determine if the child's needs are met; and
    • A plan for corrective action that may include a recommendation for closure of the foster or adoptive home.


Procedure

The R&C Worker:

  1. Completes a review within thirty (30) calendar days of notification of a factor that may place unusual stress on the family or create a situation that may place a child at risk, including but not limited to the following occurrences;
    1. A family member dies;
    2. A family member becomes disabled;
    3. A foster/adoptive home parent’s ability to provide care for a child committed to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (Cabinet/CHFS) due to a sudden onset of a health condition;
    4. Change in marital status: When an approved foster or adoptive home parent marries, within six (6) months the new spouse meets the requirements to be approved as a foster or adoptive home parent, per SOP 12.5 Pre-Service Training Requirements for Foster and Adoptive Parent Applicants​ in order for the home to remain open; 1 
    5. Loss of income or a substantial and sudden decrease in income;
    6. Birth of a child;
    7. A family moves into a different residence;
    8. Use of a prohibited form of discipline or punishment, which includes:
      1. Cruel, severe, or humiliating actions;
      2. Corporal punishment inflicted in any manner;
      3. Denial of food, clothing, or shelter;
      4. Withholding implementation of the child’s case plan;
      5. Denial of visits, telephone, or mail contacts with family members, unless authorized by a court of competent jurisdiction; and
      6. Assignment of extremely strenuous exercise or work;
    9. The foster or adoptive home parent is cited with, charged with, or arrested due to a violation of law other than a minor traffic offense;
    10. Other factors that jeopardize the emotional, mental, or physical well-being of the child as defined by the Cabinet;
    11. A report of abuse, neglect, or dependency that results in a finding that is substantiated or reveals concerns relating to the health, safety, and well-being of a child;
    12. Additional training needs are identified for a family approved as a child specific foster home; 
    13. The family fails to meet ongoing annual training requirements;
    14. A foster parent wishes to voluntarily terminate their parental rights on a biological or adopted child. 
      1. ​​The R&C worker should consult with ehe Out-of-Home Care and Adoption Services branches in central office to: 
        1. Evaluate the appropriateness of the situation; 
        2. Assess the family's ability to accept future placements; and 
        3. Communicate with any involved private child placing (PCP) agencies. 
  2. Submits the narrative to the service region administrator (SRA) or designee for review and approval. 2 


​Footnotes

  1. If there are concerns about the new spouse’s ability to care for children, but there is a child currently placed in the home, intake is closed until there is resolution of the concern.
  2. A copy of a review on a medically complex foster or adoptive home is also submitted to the SRA or designee and to the Division of Protection and Permanency (DPP) Medical Support Section.


Documents

Revisions

​3/1/23 Addition: 

N.   A foster parent wishes to voluntarily terminate their parental rights on a biological or adopted child. 
    1. ​​The R&C worker should consult with ehe Out-of-Home Care and Adoption Services branches in central office to: 
      1. Evaluate the appropriateness of the situation; 
      2. Assess the family's ability to accept future placements; and 
      3. Communicate with any involved private child placing (PCP) agencies. 

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