Section 301.70 Sibling Placement

Section 301

Section 301.70  Sibling

Placement

a)         It is the policy of the Department to place siblings together

unless:

1)         it is in the best interests of one or more of the children to

be placed apart or to remain apart from his or her siblings;

2)         the Department has been unable to locate a joint placement for

the siblings, despite a diligent search by the Department as defined in

subsection (f);

3)         a court has ordered that the siblings be placed apart; or

4)         it is in the best interests of the child or his or her siblings

to be placed with a relative and the relative is not willing to accept all the

children.

b)         When

the caseworker determines it is in the best interest of one or more siblings in

substitute care to be placed apart or to remain apart from his/her siblings,

the caseworker shall select a placement where the caregiver is willing and able

to be actively involved in supporting the sibling relationship to the extent

that doing so is in each child's best interest.

c)         When

an examination of case records or consultation with the child's parents reveals

that a sibling of the child was adopted, was placed in subsidized guardianship,

or is emancipated, the caseworker shall determine, in consultation with the

child's parents, whether it would be in the child's best interests to explore

placement with an adopted sibling, a sibling in guardianship, or an emancipated

sibling who is at least 21 years of age.  Unless the parent objects, if the

caseworker determines it is in the child's best interest to explore the

placement, the caseworker shall contact the adoptive parent or guardian of the

sibling or emancipated sibling to determine whether that person is willing to

be considered as a placement resource for the child and, if so, determine

whether it is in the best interests of the child to be placed in the home with

the sibling

caseworker determines it is in the child's best interest to explore the

placement, the caseworker shall contact the adoptive parent or guardian of the

sibling or emancipated sibling to determine whether that person is willing to

be considered as a placement resource for the child and, if so, determine

whether it is in the best interests of the child to be placed in the home with

the sibling.

d)         A

determination that it is not in a child's best interest to be placed with a

sibling is a critical decision that requires supervisory approval.  The

decision shall be documented in the child's case record and on the Visitation

and Contact Plan.

e)         It shall be in the best interests of a child to be placed

apart from his or her siblings only if:

1)         the child has special medical, educational, behavioral, or

emotional needs that require the child to be placed apart from his or her

siblings and the child has been placed or accepted at a placement intended to

address those needs;

2)         the child is at risk of physical, mental, or emotional harm if

placed with his or her siblings and the specific risk and the basis for

assessing that risk are documented in the child's case file; or

3)         placement of the child with his or her siblings would require

that the child be removed from a current foster home and it is in the best

interests of the child to remain in that foster home rather than move to a

joint placement with his or her siblings

ced with his or her siblings and the specific risk and the basis for

assessing that risk are documented in the child's case file; or

3)         placement of the child with his or her siblings would require

that the child be removed from a current foster home and it is in the best

interests of the child to remain in that foster home rather than move to a

joint placement with his or her siblings.

f)         A diligent search to locate a joint placement for siblings

shall consist of written documentation that:

1)         the Department has asked the siblings' parents and known

relatives whether there are any relatives who may be willing to become relative

foster parents for the siblings;

2)         the Department has asked any current foster parents of a child

already in Department custody or guardianship whether they can accommodate the

child's siblings in accordance with licensing standards; and

3)         the Department has asked the adoptive parents or legal

guardians of any siblings who were wards of the Department and adopted or

placed in legal guardianship whether they can accommodate the child's siblings;

an

d

4)         the Department has conducted a search of vacant Department and

private agency foster care placements and other appropriate placements within

reasonable proximity to the child's home (when the permanency goal is to return

home) to identify those placements that can provide a joint placement for the

sibling group and that meet the placement requirements for all Department cases

as set forth in this Subpart

nt has conducted a search of vacant Department and

private agency foster care placements and other appropriate placements within

reasonable proximity to the child's home (when the permanency goal is to return

home) to identify those placements that can provide a joint placement for the

sibling group and that meet the placement requirements for all Department cases

as set forth in this Subpart.

g)         If siblings have not been placed together at the time the

Department is awarded custody of one or more of the siblings, the diligent

search to locate a joint placement for siblings shall be conducted:

1)         not later than 30 days after the Department is awarded custody

of a sibling group or of any child who has a sibling in placement;

2)         when the Department changes the placement of any child with a

sibling, unless it is in the best interests of the child or sibling to be

placed apart, as delineated in subsection (b).  Nothing in this Part shall

preclude removal of a child from a placement with a sibling when such removal

is necessary due to an emergency.  An emergency includes but is not limited to

situations such as a fire or natural disaster destroying the caregiver's home,

behavior on the part of the child which poses a threat to the child or to

others in the home, incidents of abuse or neglect which put the child at

imminent risk of harm, etc.

h)         The

placement decision can prove to be critical in the life of a case.  When a

sibling group must be removed from its home, the Department should do

everything in its power to place the children together in substitute care.

This includes:

1)         Selecting

a foster family or relative caregiver who can accept all of the children for

placement.  This may require the caseworker to conduct a diligent search for

family members or a licensed foster family home that will accept all of the

children

ved from its home, the Department should do

everything in its power to place the children together in substitute care.

This includes:

1)         Selecting

a foster family or relative caregiver who can accept all of the children for

placement.  This may require the caseworker to conduct a diligent search for

family members or a licensed foster family home that will accept all of the

children.  While it is preferable for children to be placed together in one

home, the placing worker shall consider a plan for placement with two or more

relatives when the relatives indicate that they are willing and able to

develop, nurture and support sibling relationships.

2)         Placing

step-siblings who enter care together initially, and re-evaluating continued

joint placement after the Integrated Assessment.

3)         If

the children must be separated, identifying relative caregivers or foster

family homes that will support frequent sibling contact and visitation.

i)          When

a child enters substitute care or requires a new placement, the Department

shall determine whether a sibling of that child is in the custody or

guardianship of the Department.

1)         If

the Department determines that a sibling is in its custody or guardianship, the

Department shall then determine whether it is in the best interests of each of

the siblings for the child needing placement to be placed with the sibling.

2)         If

the Department determines that it is in the best interest of each sibling to be

placed together, and the sibling's caregiver is able and willing to care for

the child needing placement, the Department shall place the child with the

sibling.

j)          When

siblings are placed apart, the caseworker shall develop a Visitation and

Contact Plan.

1)         The

Visitation and Contact Plan shall set forth future contact and visits between

the siblings to develop, preserve and nurture the siblings' relationships

regiver is able and willing to care for

the child needing placement, the Department shall place the child with the

sibling.

j)          When

siblings are placed apart, the caseworker shall develop a Visitation and

Contact Plan.

1)         The

Visitation and Contact Plan shall set forth future contact and visits between

the siblings to develop, preserve and nurture the siblings' relationships.  The

Plan shall set forth the role of the caregivers and others in implementing

contact and visitation among the siblings.  The caseworker shall ensure that

the Plan meets the minimum standards regarding frequency of in-person visits

provided in Sections 301.220 and 301.230.

2)         The

Department shall document in the Visitation and Contact Plan why the siblings

were placed apart and the efforts made to place siblings together.

3)         The

assigned caseworker shall file the Visitation and Contact Plan with the

Juvenile Court within 10 days, excluding weekends and holidays, after temporary

custody is awarded to the Department.  The initial Visitation and Contact Plan

must be filed within 10 days after temporary custody is awarded, whether or not

a caseworker has been assigned to the case.

4)         The

Visitation and Contact Plan shall be modified if one of the children moves to a

new placement, or as necessary to meet the needs of the children.

5)         The

Visitation and Contact Plan may include contact and visitation with other

siblings not in the custody or guardianship of the Department, only with the

consent and participation of the parent or guardian of those siblings, or the

siblings themselves if over 18 years of age.

k)         If an entire sibling group is not placed together, the

Department shall place as many siblings of the group together as possible,

considering their relationship and the best interests of the children

n the custody or guardianship of the Department, only with the

consent and participation of the parent or guardian of those siblings, or the

siblings themselves if over 18 years of age.

k)         If an entire sibling group is not placed together, the

Department shall place as many siblings of the group together as possible,

considering their relationship and the best interests of the children.

l)          If the Department determines it is not in the best interests

of the child to be placed with his or her siblings, the Department shall

identify in the child's case plan the reasons why the siblings were placed

apart.  If siblings have been placed apart pursuant to subsection (a), the

Department shall document in the case file the efforts made to place siblings

together.

m)        If an entire sibling group cannot be placed together, the

Department shall make reasonable efforts to place siblings within reasonable

proximity to one another, taking into account the placement requirements for

all Department cases as set forth in this Part.  The Department may place a

child at greater distance from his or her siblings if his or her treatment

needs require placement farther away.

n)         If the Department places siblings apart or siblings remain

placed apart after a change in placement, the efforts made to place siblings

together and the reasons why the siblings are placed apart shall be documented

on the

Visitation and Contact Plan and

specifically

reviewed at the first administrative case review following the placement to

ensure compliance with the requirements of this Section.

o)         The

Department shall provide training for all DCFS and purchase of service

permanency workers, and their supervisors and managers, regarding the

importance of maintaining sibling relationships, the child's sense of

attachment to his/her siblings, the importance of maintaining sibling

relationships over the child's lifespan, and the impact on the child if those

relationships are severed.