10A NCAC 70G .0504      OUT-OF-HOME FAMILY SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR CHILDREN RECEIVING FAMILY FOSTER CARE SERVICES

(a)  The agency shall develop a written out-of-home family services agreement within 30 days of admission of a child in a family foster home. The out-of-home family services agreement shall be developed in cooperation with parents, guardian or legal custodian, and, when possible, the child and foster parents. The out-of-home family services agreement shall be based upon an assessment of the needs of the child, parents or guardian. The out-of-home family services agreement shall include goals stated in specific, realistic, and measurable terms and plans that are action oriented, including responsibilities of staff, parents or guardian, other family members, legal custodian, foster parents, and the child. The agreement shall address the following services to be provided or arranged:

(1)           the visitation plan designed to maintain links with the family;

(2)           the expectations of the family, agency, placement provider, and community members;

(3)           target dates; and

(4)           expected outcomes.

(b)  The out-of-home family services agreement shall be reviewed by the agency within 60 days of placement, the second out-of-home family services agreement review shall occur within 90 days of the first review, and subsequent reviews shall be held every six months. Parents, guardian, legal custodian, the foster parents, the child, and individuals or agencies designated as providing services shall participate in the reviews to determine the child's and parents' or guardian's progress or lack of progress towards meeting the goals and objectives and to determine changes that need to be made in the out-of-home family services agreement.

(c)  If the legal custodian is a county department of social services, the agency, the department of social services, the parents or guardian, the foster parents, other service providers, and the child shall develop a single out-of-home family services agreement. A copy of the child's out-of-home family services agreement shall be provided to the parents, guardian, the executive director of the agency or his or her designee, and the foster parents by the county department of social services serving as the legal custodian. The child's out-of-home family services agreement shall be provided to other agencies and individuals listed as providing services to the child and to his or her parents or guardian. An age-appropriate version of the out-of-home family services agreement shall be written and provided to each child by the legal custodian.

(d)  The child-placing agency and foster parents shall be informed of court reviews, child and family team meetings, agency reviews and permanency planning action team meetings. The Out-of-Home Family Services Agreement (DSS-5240 or DSS-5241) and the Transitional Living Plan may serve as the out-of-home family services agreement for the agency if the documents reflect input and participation by the parents, agency and foster parents.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 131D-10.5; 131D-10.10; 143B-153;

Eff. October 1, 2008;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2017; November 1, 2009;

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