10A NCAC 70E .1104      CRITERIA FOR THE FAMILY

(a)  Foster parents shall be persons whose behaviors, circumstances, and health are conducive to the safety and well-being of children. Foster parents shall be selected on the basis of demonstrating strengths in the skill areas of Subparagraphs (1) through (12) of this Paragraph which permit them to undertake and perform the responsibilities of meeting the needs of children, in providing continuity of care, and in working with the supervising agency. Foster parents shall demonstrate skills in:

(1)           assessing individual and family strengths and needs and building on strengths and meeting needs;

(2)           using and developing effective communication;

(3)           identifying the strengths and needs of children placed in the home;

(4)           building on children's strengths and meeting the needs of children placed in the home;

(5)           developing partnerships with children placed in the home, parents or the guardians of the children placed in the home, the supervising agency and the community to develop and carry out plans for permanency;

(6)           helping children placed in the home develop skills to manage loss and skills to form attachments;

(7)           helping children placed in the home manage their behaviors;

(8)           helping children placed in the home maintain and develop relationships that will keep them connected to their pasts;

(9)           helping children placed in the home build on positive self-concept and positive family, cultural, and racial identity;

(10)         providing a safe and healthy environment for children placed in the home which keeps them free from harm;

(11)         assessing the ways in which providing family foster care or therapeutic foster care affects the family; and

(12)         making an informed decision regarding providing family foster care or therapeutic foster care.

(b)  Age. A license may only be issued to persons 21 years of age and older.

(c)  Health. The foster family shall be in good physical and mental health as evidenced by:

(1)           a medical examination completed by a licensed medical provider on each member of the foster home within the last 12 months prior to the initial licensing application date, and biennially thereafter;

(2)           documentation that each adult member of the household has had a TB skin test or chest x-ray prior to initial licensure unless contraindicated by a licensed medical provider. The foster parents' children are required to be tested only if one or more of the parent's tests positive for TB;

(3)           a medical history form completed on each member of the household at the time of the initial licensing application and on any person who subsequently becomes a member of the household;

(4)           no indication of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, or illegal drug use by a member of the foster family;

(5)           no indication that a member of the foster family is a perpetrator of domestic violence;

(6)           no indication that a member of the foster family has abused, neglected, or exploited a disabled adult;

(7)           no indication that a member of the foster family has been placed on the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry pursuant to Article 27A Part 2 of G.S. 14;

(8)           no indication that a member of the foster family has been placed on the Health Care Personnel Registry pursuant to G.S. 131E-256; and

(9)           no indication that a member of the foster family has been found to have abused or neglected a child or has been a respondent in a juvenile court proceeding that resulted in the removal of a child or has had child protective services involvement that resulted in the removal of a child.

(d)  Education. Foster parent applicants shall have graduated from high school or received a GED (Graduate Equivalency Diploma) or shall have an ability to read and write as evidenced by their ability to administer medications as prescribed by a licensed medical provider, maintain medication administration logs and maintain progress notes.

(e)  Required Applicants. Foster parent applicants who are married are presumed to be co-parents in the same household and both shall complete all licensing requirements. Adults 21 years of age or older, living in currently licensed or newly licensed foster homes who have responsibility for the care, supervision, or discipline of the foster child shall complete all licensing requirements. The supervising agency shall assess each adult's responsibility for the care, supervision, or discipline of the foster child.

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

Eff. September 1, 2007;

Amended Eff. November 1, 2009;

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