A foster parents' responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

To openly communicate and share information about the child with other members of the child welfare team;

To respect the confidentiality of information concerning foster children and their families and to act appropriately and within applicable confidentiality laws and regulations;

To advocate for children in the foster parent's care;

To treat children in the foster parent's care and the children's families with dignity, respect and consideration;

To recognize the foster parent's own individual and familial strengths and limitations when deciding whether to accept a child into care and to recognize the foster parent's own support needs and utilize appropriate supports in providing care for foster children;

To be aware of the benefits of relying on and affiliating with other foster parents and foster parent associations in improving the quality of care and service to children and families;

To assess the foster parent's ongoing individual needs and take action to meet those needs;

To develop and assist in implementing strategies to prevent placement disruptions, recognizing the traumatic impact of placement disruptions on a foster child and all members of the foster family;

To provide emotional support for the foster children and members of the foster family if preventative strategies fail and placement disruptions occur;

To know the impact foster parenting has on individuals and family relationships and to endeavor to minimize, as much as possible, any stress that results from foster parenting;

To know the rewards and benefits to children, parents, families, and society that come from foster parenting and to promote the foster parenting experience in a positive way;

To know and, as necessary, fulfill the foster parent's responsibility to serve as a mandated reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;

To know the child welfare agency's policy regarding allegations that foster parents have committed child abuse or neglect and applicable administrative rules and procedures governing investigations of these allegations;

To know and receive training regarding the purpose of administrative case review, client service plans, and court processes, as well as any filing or time requirements associated with those proceeding and to actively participate in the foster parent's designated role in these proceedings;

To know the child welfare agency's appeal procedure for foster parents and the rights of foster parents under the procedure;

To know and understand the importance of maintaining accurate and relevant records regarding the child's history and progress;

To be aware of and follow the procedures and regulations of the child welfare agency with which the foster parent is licensed or affiliated;

To share information, through the child welfare team, with the subsequent caregiver (whether the child's parent or another substitute caregiver) regarding the child's adjustment in the foster parent's home;

To provide care and services that are respectful of and responsive of the child's cultural needs and are supportive of the relationship between the child and his or her own family; and

To recognize the increased importance of maintaining a child's cultural identity when the race or culture of the foster family differs from that of the foster child and to take action to address these issues.

© Crouse Cobb & Bays ©1996 - 2001 all rights reserved

Credits: Deborah Crouse Cobb