10A NCAC 70E .0803      ASSESSMENT PROCESS

(a)  The supervising agency shall advise the applicants at the first contact with the agency of the North Carolina licensing requirements for foster care. The supervising agency shall make a decision whether to continue a mutual home assessment.

(b)  The supervising agency shall inform the applicants about the services, policies, procedures, standards, and expectations of the agency regarding the provision of foster care services. The applicants shall weigh the responsibilities entailed in providing foster care services and make a decision whether to continue a mutual home assessment.

(c)  Mutual Assessment of the Home and the Family:

(1)           The mutual home assessment shall be presented and recorded in such a way that other staff of the supervising agency can make use of the family as a resource for children. The assessment of the home shall indicate whether the home is in compliance with licensing standards.

(2)           A mutual home assessment shall include a family history of applicants, including information about parents, siblings, marriages and family support systems; ability to cope with problems, stress, frustrations, crises, and loss; disciplinary methods used by the applicants' parents; personal experiences of abuse and neglect and domestic violence; criminal convictions; drug or alcohol abuse; emotional stability and maturity; ability to give and receive affection; religious orientation, if any; and educational and employment history.

(3)           A mutual home assessment shall be made of the applicants' skills and abilities to provide care for children as set forth in 10A NCAC 70E .1104(a).

(4)           All members of the household shall be assessed with respect to their commitment to providing care for children.

(5)           The foster home shall be assessed to determine if there is space to accommodate the number of children recommended for the license capacity.

(6)           The foster home applicants shall be assessed with respect to their willingness to participate in shared parenting requirements.

(7)           The foster home applicants shall be assessed with respect to their financial ability to provide foster care.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 131D-10.1; 131D-10.3; 131D-10.5; 143B-153;

Eff. September 1, 2007;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. October 3, 2017.