a) When Placement is Appropriate
1) Services Prior to Placement
When appropriate, placement prevention services shall have been provided prior to placing a child. The worker shall consider whether the following placement prevention services are appropriate: 24-hour emergency caretaker, homemaker services, day care services, crisis counseling, individual and family counseling, emergency family shelter, self-help groups, parenting training and other placement prevention services. The worker shall also consider whether services to meet the basic needs of children and families would prevent placement of the children.
Services to meet basic needs may include but are not limited to, cash assistance, food, clothing, furniture, housing, advocacy and other appropriate services for children at risk of placement due to living conditions or lack of subsistence needs. A child may be placed without offering or providing placement prevention services only when circumstances cited in Rule 302.390 (d) exist.
2) Provide Parent Handbook and Child Handbook
When children must be placed in substitute care, the placing worker shall give the parent(s) a copy of the Parent Handbook in their primary language, if available, and shall document the date the handbook was given and who it was given to on the CFS 492, Case Entry. The worker shall advise the parent(s) to keep the handbook as a reference guide while their children are placed in substitute care.
The placing worker shall give each child ten years of age and over a copy of the Child Handbook in their primary language and shall document on the CFS 492, Case Notes, the date and place the handbook was given to each child. Children shall be encouraged to keep the handbook to help them while they are living apart from their parents.
3) Verification of Birth
Within 90 days after a DCFS payment has been initiated on behalf of a child, documentation of the child's birth must be in his case record. Such documentation can be either:
i) a photocopy of the child's birth certificate; or
ii) when born in Illinois, an administrative copy or verification by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records on form CFS 402, Request for Vital Records Verification (when born elsewhere, request birth verification from the appropriate vital records office). Certified copies of birth records are to be requested from DPH, Vital Records only when due to a requirement of a court or a pending adoption. The Illinois DPH will not charge for the certified copy when one of these two reasons is indicated in the comments section of the CFS 402.
Parentage Unknown - Child Up to Age 7
When unable to ascertain the identity of a child believed to be up to the age of 7 years whose parentage is unknown and for whom the Department has received guardianship, the field office shall:
o inquire whether the agency first receiving the child (i.e., hospital, private agency) has registered the child with the Department of Public Health;
o if the Department office is the first agency receiving the child, it shall within three days after receiving guardianship, submit materials as indicated below.
Parentage Unknown - Child Under 1 Year
Submit Department of Public Health Form V.S. 102, Certificate of Birth -Foundling Child to the local registrar of vital statistics, Department of Public Health, of the registration district in which the child was found (form obtainable from the local registrar).
Parentage Unknown - Child 12 Months to 7 years
Submit Department of Public Health Form V.S.-141A, Delayed Record of Birth, to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics, Department of Public Health, Springfield. This form is obtainable by writing or telephoning the:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
605 West Jefferson
Springfield, Illinois 62702
(217) 782-6554
Data on V.S. 102 and V.S. 141A shall include date and place found (place found to be entered as place of birth); sex, color or race, approximate age (date of birth as determined by a physician); home and address of persons or institution with whom the child has been placed (DCFS office); name given the child by the DCFS office; name and address of person who found the child; and other data required by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics (affidavit portion of V.S. 141A must be signed by the child's legal guardian or authorized agent and notarized).
The Department worker should request an administrative copy of the Certificate of Birth from the:
Division of Vital Records
605 West Jefferson
Springfield Illinois 62702
Enter the official birth date on all DCFS statistical forms. If, after issuance of a Certificate of Birth the child is identified and the original Certificate of Birth obtained, the Department worker shall:
For a child under 1 year - notify the local registrar.
For a child 12 months to 7 years - notify the State Registrar.
Children Born in Foreign Countries
When it is believed or known that a child for whom a case has been opened was born in a foreign country (outside of the U.S. and U.S. Territories), the Department worker shall attempt to verify the child's place of birth, parentage and parents' place of birth and whether they were lawfully admitted into the U.S. The worker shall seek verification of birth/citizenship through school or medical records, if appropriate and ask to see the Alien Registration Card (green card) if appropriate. Workers shall notify their supervisors when it has been determined that a child is not a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization. All such cases shall be referred to the Regional Immigration Liaison for follow-up.
4) Children of Correctional and DMH/DD Facilities Inmates
The Department of Corrections and the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities may refer children whose mothers are inmates when relatives are unable to provide care. Such referrals are to be made to the Region of the mother's legal residence prior to entering the facility. The facility will provide social history information on the mother and children, relatives who may be potential caretakers or with whom placement was sought, name of committing court, mother's legal residence or address when admitted to the facility, and release date. All procedures for placement pertain to such children.
Additionally, see Appendix E of this Subpart for procedures concerning referral of infants from Dwight Correctional Center as well as procedures for those children of inmates for whom DCFS is legally responsible.
b) Placement is Temporary
In order to ensure that children do not remain in placement for inordinate periods of time and that they are returned home when their parents can meet the minimum parenting standards, the CFS 497 must support placement continuation as detailed in Rules and Procedures 305, Client Service Planning. The following shall occur prior to placement or replacement in a foster family/relative caretaker home:
1) Worker discusses the placement with his/her supervisor in terms of:
o specific reason(s) for placement
o family preservation services already provided or if not provided, why not
o specific reason(s) for the type of care recommended (intensity of care)
o projected length of the placement
o whether meeting basic subsistence needs has been imposed as a condition of return home
o whether financial assistance would enable the child to return home
2) If supervisor verbally approves the placement, worker completes and signs a CFS 906, Placement/Payment Authorization, and gives it to his/her supervisor for signature. Supervisory signature denotes written approval of the placement and the payment amount.
3) Worker documents the detail of the discussion with his/her supervisor per (b)(1) above, including the date of such discussion, on a CFS 492.
4) Placement proceeds.
c) Transportation of Children
When transporting a child under age 6 in their official capacity as Department representatives, all DCFS staff shall provide for the safety and protection of that child by securing him or her in a child passenger restraint system that meets federal standards. When there is a medical emergency, a child may be transported without the child passenger restraint.
o A child under age 4 years shall be properly secured in an infant carrier or a child car seat, which meets federal standards;
o A child 4 years of age or older but under the age of six shall be secured in a child car seat or in seat belts.
This procedure also applies to Department and private agency foster parents, relative caretakers, supervised homemakers, volunteers and advocates who are responsible for the safe transportation of a child for whom the Department is legally responsible.
d) Emergency Placement
Via Temporary Protective Custody
Only designated child protection investigative staff may take temporary protective custody of a child and approve an emergency placement. The child must be alleged to be abused or neglected, a report of alleged CA/N must have been received by the Department, and the investigative worker shall make a decision whether in-home services including Family First and Norman Services would sufficiently protect the child from life threatening or severe physical injury before temporary protective custody may be taken.
e) Foster Family Home Care
1) Licensure
Children for whom the Department is legally responsible shall not be placed in the family homes of non-related caretakers until such homes are licensed as foster family homes or hold a permit to provide foster family care.
2) Deaf Children
The Boarding Home Program for Deaf Children is designed to provide substitute parental care, for educational purposes only, for those children with hearing handicaps who cannot be accommodated at the School for the Deaf or whose needs would best be met by community living. The minimum age of acceptance of a child for boarding home care under this program is 4 years. Acceptance of a younger child is dependent upon his social and emotional maturity as demonstrated by his ability to function with reasonable independence in feeding, dressing, and toileting; ability to relate to persons outside of his immediate home environment; and ability to function away from his parents and/or family over a period of time.
DSCC and Special Education Involvement
The DCFS field office will request from the Regional Office of the Division of Specialized Care for Children summary information, if available, to aid in planning for the child. After recommending a child for acceptance into the boarding home program, the DCFS Office will notify the Special Education Supervisor in the child's school district who will communicate with the appropriate school superintendent.
DCFS Responsibilities.
The DCFS Office is responsible for locating an appropriate foster family home, supervising the placement, being aware of arrangements between the child's parents and the boarding home parents, and providing casework services to the family or the boarding home parents on behalf of the child, if indicated. See Procedures 359 for payment information.
Parental Responsibilities
The child's parents are responsible for contacting their school superintendent regarding the school and transportation arrangements; providing clothing, medical, school, laundry, and all personal expenses for their child in addition to paying the boarding home parents for extra services they may need; arranging with the boarding home parents for medical care during the week by providing the boarding home parents with a letter of written authorization to secure medical services in an emergency when they cannot be reached; informing the boarding home parents of their whereabouts when away from home for more than 24 hours; and taking their child home for weekends, when school is in session, and for vacations.
DSCC and Special Education Responsibilities
The Division of Specialized Care for Children is responsible for providing clinical services for which the child is eligible. The Special Education Supervisor of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is responsible for securing and forwarding to the DCFS office the school reports at the end of the school year. Form CFS 407, School Report, may be used.
f) Residential Care
Children for whom DCFS is legally responsible may require placement in other than a family home when a less restrictive setting will not meet their needs. In such instances, the worker shall detail specifically on the CFS 497 why the child requiresplacement in a residential setting (group home or institution). The Regional Administrator or designee(s) shall determine the appropriateness of residential care planning for children referred and recommend appropriate residential care facilities to meet the child's unique needs.
g) Caretaker(s) Request for Removal of Child
A request from the caretaker(s) for a child's removal, whether tentative, indirect, direct, or urgent, shall be explored promptly and fully by the worker. To prevent abrupt or unnecessary replacement, such requests should neither be ignored nor accepted immediately as final. Discussion may serve to resolve feelings so that replacement is not necessary; persuasion to continue the placement will probably result in strained relationships and not avert termination.
Replacement from an unsuitable home shall be carried out in a way that minimizes the damage of the child and caretaker(s).
Participation of the caretaker(s) in the decision about replacement is important particularly if either is in conflict about the move.
Preparation of the caretaker(s) for the move should allow them time to work out their feelings at least to the point of acceptance of the decision. It is harmful to a child to be moved from a facility against the wishes of the caretaker(s).
h) Written Authorization For Release of a Child
1) Admission/Discharge of a Child
When a caseworker or supervisor is personally involved in the hospital admission of a child for whom the Department has responsibility via temporary protective custody, custody or guardianship, surrender, or voluntary placement agreement, instructions shall be provided to the hospital staff as to the individual who will be authorized to remove the child from the hospital upon completion of treatment.
When a caseworker or supervisor has not participated directly in the admission of a Department ward, they shall decide to whom the child will be released when notified by the hospital of the child's readiness to be discharged, and they shall also notify the hospital as to who the authorized person will be.
The individuals designated to accept custody of the child may include the caseworker, foster parent, designated relative, group home or institution staff member, homemakers, volunteer or agency advocate. Such person shall beprovided with a letter of authorization signed by the Field Office/Unit Supervisor. Older wards who are living independently may be released without accompaniment.
2) Authorization
The letter of authorization shall be typed on Department letterhead. It shall include:
i) The name of the individual authorized to receive the child;
ii) The name of the child who is being discharged;
iii) The name of the medical facility discharging the child;
iv) The date of the discharge; and
v) The signature of the supervisor.
In addition to presenting the letter of authorization to the proper hospital personnel, the authorized individual if requested shall provide personal identification (I.D. card, driver's license, etc.) which verifies his/her identity.
i) Transfer of Health Information
When a child receives a health examination through DCFS, the results of it shall be recorded on a CFS 600, Certificate of Child Health Examination. If the child is a newborn, Form CFS 404, Newborn Infant Record, shall be used. When the child is placed or replaced subsequent to that examination the child's worker shall ensure that a copy of the CFS 600 is made available to the child's foster parents or caretakers promptly at the time of placement. If an examination has not been performed at the time of placement, the child's worker shall send a copy of the appropriate form to the child's foster parent or caretakers within 48 hours of the time that it becomes available.