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Effective: 3/24/2025

4.10.4 Relative or Fictive Kin Pursuing Foster Home Approval

Legal Authority

Introduction

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A relative or fictive kin caregiver has the ability to pursue approval as a Department for Community Based Services' (Department/DCBS) foster parent through the relative and fictive kin service array. They may choose to pursue approval as a relative fictive kin foster home or a non-familial foster home and meet all standards associated with these approval types. 

Practice Guidance

​The DPP-179 Relative and Fictive Kin Caregiver Agreement will be completed with the family once they decide to pursue foster parent approval. This agreement will be completed and uploaded when the SSW enters the child into out-of-home care (OOHC). The agreement prompts the Division of Administration and Financial Manage​ment (DAFM) that this is a home that will receive the pre-approval per diem. 1​

Procedure

  1. The kinship navigator/SSW discusses the service array. The kinship navigator/SSW will ensure the family completes the DPP-178 Acknowledgement Statement Options and Available Services for Relative and Fictive Kin Caregivers. 
  2. If the relative or fictive kin caregiver decides to pursue approval as a foster parent, the SSW and FSOS will ensure that the child remains or is placed in the custody of DCBS. 
  3. The SSW or FSOS will submit a copy of the completed section one (1) of the DPP 1277 Safety Check and Review, DPP-178, and DPP-179 Relative and Fictive Kin Caregiver Agreement to the recruitment and certification (R&C) supervisor within three (3) working days of the caregiver’s decision to pursue approval as a foster parent. 
  4. A relative or fictive kin caregiver pursuing foster parent approval is eligible to receive a reduced per diem until the foster home approval is effective. In order to be eligible for this payment, all of the following must apply: 
    1. The child must be in the custody of DCBS; 
    2. The family must be actively pursuing approval as a DCBS foster home; 
    3. The family must sign the DP​P-179; and
    4. Payment will start on the date of the signed DPP-179. 2
  5. The recruitment and certification (R&C) worker will contact the prospective family and enter the inquiry into TWIST. The R&C worker will assist the relative or fictive kin caregiver in the foster care approval process as outlined in SOP Chapter 12.3.0 Foster and Adoptive Inquiry​. 

​Footnotes

​
  1. If the DPP-179 is signed prior to the Cabinet having custody, payment begins the date the child enters DCBS custody; it is not backdated. The current per diem rate is twelve ($12) dollars per day, but is subject to change or elimination based on available funding.
  2. If, during the process of becoming an approved foster home, it is found that the family does not meet the statutory definition of fictive kin, the family will be required to complete non-familial home study requirements, and DCBS will send a DPP-154A discontinuing the twelve-dollar​ ($12.00) per day per diem. The children do not have to be moved from the home if this occurs.

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Documents

Revisions

​3/1/23: Edits 

Payment begins the date the child enters DCBS custody; it is not backdated. The current per diem rate is six ($6) twelve ($12) dollars per day, but is subject to change or elimination based on available funding.​

3/24/2025

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A relative or fictive kin caregiver has the ability to pursue approval as a Department for Community Based Services' (Department/DCBS) foster parent through the relative and fictive kin service array. They may choose to pursue approval as a relative fictive kin foster home or a non-familial basic foster home and meet all standards associated with these approval types. They may also choose to pursue approval as a child specific foster home type. To support the approval of relative and fictive kin caregivers, waivers for non-safety standards may be applied in the approval of child specific foster homes. Relative and f​ictive kin caregivers pursing foster home approval should be encouraged to meet all standards for basic foster home approval. However, child specific approval is utilized for those families that require a waiver of training or a waiver for non-safety standards.

  1. The kinship navigator/SSW discusses the service array utilizing the Guide for Relative and Fictive Kin Caregivers, Relative and Fictive Kin Service Array Worksheet, and the DPP-1278 Relative Placement Support Benefit Acknowledgment Form​ ​with the prospective relative or fictive kin caregiver at the time of placement. The kinship navigator/SSW will ensure the family completes the DPP-178 Acknowledgement Statement Options and Available Services for Relative and Fictive Kin Caregivers
D.  Payment will start on the date of the signed DPP-179. 1​

5.  The SSW or FSOS will submit a completed and signed copy of the DPP 1277 Safety Check and Review to the R&C supervisor upon completion, within thirty (30) working days. The R&C worker will contact the prospective family and enters the inquiry into TWIST. The R&C worker will assist the relative or fictive kin caregiver in the foster care approval process as outlined in SOP Chapter 12.3.0 Foster and Adoptive Inquiry​. ​


FOOTNOTES

1.  If the DPP-179 is signed prior to the Cabinet having custody, payment begins the date the child enters DCBS custody; it is not backdated. The current per diem rate is twelve ($12) dollars per day, but is subject to change or elimination based on available funding.

2.  If during the process of becoming an approved foster home it is found that the family does not meet the statutory definition of fictive kin, the family will be required to complete non-familial home study requirements and DCBS will send a 154A discontinuing the $12 per day per diem. The children do not have to be moved from the home if this occurs.​