Ky.gov
Effective: 2/28/2022

12.6 Foster and Adoptive Home Parents Approved by Other States or Licensed Child Placing Agencies

Legal Authority

Introduction

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Practice Guidance

Procedure

The recruitment and certification (R&C) worker:​​
  1. ​​Ascertains the parent’s skill level as a potential Kentucky foster and adoptive home parent when the applicant has been approved by another state or licensed Kentucky private child placing agency (PCP) as a foster, adoptive, or respite care provider by: 
    1. Determining if the applicant possesses the necessary skills for fostering; 
    2. Obtaining a signed release of information so that the other state or PCP may make a recommendation for approval in Kentucky; 
    3. Obtaining verification of the foster or adoptive home’s closure and a statement to indicate whether the closure was at the request of the foster and adoptive home parent applicant, the other state, or the agency; 
    4. Obtaining a copy of the other state’s or PCPs foster home record and original home study; 
    5. Obtaining a new Foster Adoptive Parent Applicant Application from the potential Kentucky foster and adoptive parent;
    6. Following SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) guidelines, administers SAFE Questionnaire II (QII) while conducting the home visit by: 1 
      1. Observing one or both applicants while they are completing QII. 
      2. Instructing the applicants that they may not talk or discuss the questionnaire. 
      3. Immediately interviewing each applicant one-on-one, separately and privately about the applicant’s history when QII is completed. No children or other adults should be in the home when QII is administered. QII interviews should be no longer than forty-five (45) minutes each. 
      4. Ensuring questionnaire II never leaves the R&C worker's sight. 
  2. Following SAFE guidelines, utilizes the desk guide after each interview to evaluate the family and complete the psychosocial inventory; 
  3. Upon completion of the psychosocial inventory, and no later than five (5) working days, consults with the FSOS regarding assigned desk guide and mitigation ratings and determines if they can be sustained, reduced, or erased; 
  4. Assess during the in-home interview the applicant's home environment and prerequisites as outlined in SOP 12.13 Home Environment Prerequisites; 
  5. Contacts a minimum of two (2) credit references or credit report; 
  6. Interviews a personal reference; 
  7. Prints the case document checklist from TWIST; 
  8. Completes the SAFE home study narrative; 
  9. Completes the Professional Development Plan as needed; 
  10. Completes the DPP-108 Health Information Required for Foster and Adoptive Home Applicants Regarding Dependent Children; 
  11. Completes the DPP-107 Health Information Required on Foster and Adoptive Home Applicants or Adult Household Members; 
  12. Completes the DPP-117 Verification Request Marriage and Divorce or provides proof of marriage/divorce as appropriate;
  13. Completes the DPP-170 Financial Statement; Conducts background checks as outlined in SOP 12.4 Background Checks for Foster and Adoptive Parents; 
  14. Completes the DPP-1291 Foster and Adoptive Home Discipline Policy Agreement; 
  15. Upon approval of the home study by the SRA or designee, schedules a time to meet with the family to notify them of their approval as a foster or adoptive parent; 
  16. Shares a stamped, final draft copy of the home study with the foster/adoptive family to review;
  17. Collects the home study, once the family reviews it;2 
  18. Makes corrections or changes to the home study as identified by the foster/adoptive family. If changes are made to the final draft of the home study, applicants must be allowed to review and sign the corrected copy before final approval;3 and
  19. Has the newly approved foster/adoptive parent read and sign a DPP-111 Foster Home Contract.
The FSOS:
  1. Determines if the applicant meets the criteria as a Cabinet foster and adoptive home based on whether: 
    1. The previous training meets the primary components of the Cabinet approved pre-service family preparation training; 
    2. The previous training has been completed in the past five (5) years or has fostered and maintained appropriate ongoing training in the state of origin; 
    3. The parent possesses the necessary skills for fostering; and 
    4. The records and recommendations from the other state document that the foster parents possess skills that meet the Cabinet’s required pre-service family preparation training. 
  2. Determines if a foster/adoptive home parent applicant approved by another state or PCP lacks the necessary skills to become a​ foster/adoptive home parent. If the foster/adoptive applicant does not possess the necessary skills, then an individualized preparation curriculum is developed to fulfill unmet training needs. If the FSOS determines that the foster/adoptive parent applicant possesses the necessary skills, the study is submitted to the SRA or designee, with an approval letter for final consent.

Footnotes

  1. Questionnaire II m​ust be administered to all applicants. It may also be administered to other adults in the home or family when deemed appropriate by the R&C worker. 
  2. ​The R&C worker does not leave a draft copy with the family. QI or QII are not included with the home study draft and are never shared with the family. 
  3. ​​​​​​​​​​The home study and training records are uploaded in TWIST. The SRA or designee may review the documents in TWIST, when appropriate to expedite approval.

Documents

Revisions