Ky.gov
Effective: 6/28/2021

12.3.1 Foster and Respite Home Parent Applicants-Employee

Legal Authority

Introduction

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Practice Guidance

​​Approval memos for employees who seek to become foster parents should be submitted using the Employee Foster Parent Approval Memo template. The region of the applicant’s workstation is responsible for completing and submitting the initial request. The memo should be submitted to the Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) Branch manager after SRA approval is obtained. The OOHC Branch manager will review and forward to the commissioner or designee for approval. The process for employees who wish to foster through a private child-placing (PCP) agency is the same, and the applicant’s regional staff will complete the memo. The memo will be forwarded to the PCP agency after approval.

​​The body of the memo shall include a description of the applicant’s role within the agency and justification for pursuing approval.

Procedure

​​The R&C Worker:
  1. Makes a written request to the SRA or designee for a current employee to become a respite provider or foster home parent; 
  2. Works with the current protection and permanency (P&P) employees for consideration in becoming a respite provider or foster home parent; 
  3. Considers the following factors prior to a foster care placement: 
    1. The current P&P employee’s relationship with the child or with a parent of the child; 
    2. The current P&P employee’s involvement or prior involvement with the child’s case; 
    3. Appearance of impropriety; and 
    4. Other extenuating factors.
The SRA:
  1. Reviews the request to ensure compliance with SOP and, if the request is appropriate, makes a written request to the commissioner or designee through the OOHC Branch manager. 1

Upon approval, the following procedures shall be followed.

The R&C Supervisor:
  1. Ensures the employee completes pre-service training outside the region of the assigned work station. 
  2. Assigns a social service worker outside of the region of employment to complete the home study. 
  3. Maintains the ongoing provide case outside of the region of employment. 
  4. Ensures that upon approval as a foster home (DCBS or PCP), an employee shall accept placement of children from outside of the region of employment unless: 
    1. The employee is related to the child; 
    2. The employee is determined to be fictive kin prior to the child being placed in the custody of the cabinet; or 
    3. Termination of parental rights should occur prior to the child being placed with the employee or the child's goal should be planned permanent living arrangement.

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Footnotes

  1. A current P&P employee is not considered for approval as a respite provider or foster parent unless the commissioner or designee has approved the request.​​

Documents

Revisions