Section 340.50 Foster Parent Responsibilities

Section 340

Section 340.50  Foster Parent

Responsibilities

a)

A

foster parent's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the

following:

1)

The responsibility to openly communicate and share

information about the child with other members of the child welfare team.

2)

The responsibility to respect the confidentiality of

information concerning foster children and their families and act appropriately

within applicable confidentiality laws and regulations.

3)

The responsibility to advocate for children in the foster

parent's care.

4)

The responsibility to treat children in the foster parent's

care and the children's family with dignity, respect, and consideration.

5)

The responsibility to recognize the foster parent's own

individual and familial strengths and limitations when deciding whether to

accept a child into care; and the responsibility to recognize the foster

parent's own support needs and utilize appropriate supports in providing care

for foster children.

6)

The responsibility 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.

7)

The responsibility to assess the foster parent's ongoing

individual training needs and take action to meet those needs.

8)

The responsibility 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; and the responsibility to provide emotional support for the foster

children and members of the foster family if preventive strategies fail and

placement disruptions occur.

9)

The responsibility to know the impact foster parenting has

on individuals and family relationships; and the responsibility to endeavor to

minimize, as much as possible, any stress that results from foster parenting

mily; and the responsibility to provide emotional support for the foster

children and members of the foster family if preventive strategies fail and

placement disruptions occur.

9)

The responsibility to know the impact foster parenting has

on individuals and family relationships; and the responsibility to endeavor to

minimize, as much as possible, any stress that results from foster parenting

.

10)

The responsibility 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.

11)

The responsibility to know the roles, rights, and responsibilities

of foster parents, other professionals in the child welfare system, the foster

child, and the foster child's own family.

12)

The responsibility 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; and

the responsibility 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

those allegations.

13)

The

responsibility to know and receive training regarding the purpose of

administrative case reviews, client service plans, and court processes, as well

as any filing or time requirements associated with those proceedings; and the

responsibility to actively participate in the foster parent's designated role

in these proceedings.

14)

The responsibility to know the child welfare agency's

appeal procedure for foster parents and the rights of foster parents under the

procedure

ative case reviews, client service plans, and court processes, as well

as any filing or time requirements associated with those proceedings; and the

responsibility to actively participate in the foster parent's designated role

in these proceedings.

14)

The responsibility to know the child welfare agency's

appeal procedure for foster parents and the rights of foster parents under the

procedure.

15)

The responsibility to know and understand the importance

of maintaining accurate and relevant records regarding the child's history and

progress; and the responsibility to be aware of and follow the procedures and

regulations of the child welfare agency with which the foster parent is

licensed or affiliated.

16)

The responsibility 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 adjustments in the foster parent's

home.

17)

The responsibility to provide care and services that are

respectful of and responsive to the child's cultural needs and are supportive

of the relationship between the child and his or her own family; the

responsibility 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 the responsibility to take action to address

these issues

.  [20 ILCS 520/1-20]

b)         Implementation

strategies for these responsibilities shall be explained in narrative form in

the annual implementation plans described in Appendix A.