12.2 Diligent Recruitment of Foster and Adoptive Home Parents

Introduction

​​​Each service region develops an annual plan for diligent recruitment and retention of resource families, which is reviewed and updated on a semi-annual basis. The plan is based on the region’s assessment of their current and projected placement needs and considers the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act and Inter-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA/IEPA) requirements. Regional diligent recruitment plans will be submitted to the OOHC branch manager twice per year.

Practice Guidance

  • ​​Regional diligent recruitment plans include the following components:
  • An overview of the region’s basic principles regarding the plan; 
  • Accurate descriptions of the characteristics of children coming into out of home care and children awaiting adoptive homes; 
  • Accurate descriptions of the approved resource homes in the region; 
  • Targeted demographic/geographic and general recruitment strategies that are aimed at all parts of the state’s communities; 
  • Diverse methods for disseminating both general and child specific information; 
  • Strategies for assuring that all prospective parents have access to the home study process, including location and hours of information meetings and family preparation pre-service training; 
  • Strategies for retention of approved homes, including descriptions of support services and other resources; 
  • ​Strategies for training and preparing agency staff to work with diverse cultural, racial and economic communities in a culturally competent manner.​

Procedure

Documents

Revisions