I. Purpose
The Pregnant and/or Parenting Program provides supportive services and living maintenance to pregnant and/or parenting children and youth for whom the Department is legally responsible. The Department recognizes that these wards and their child(ren) are a family and this program is designed to ensure that the ward's role and responsibility as a parent is respected and supported. This program applies not only to pregnant wards but also to parenting wards, male or female, who are caregivers for their child(ren) or whose service plan calls for them to take an active role in parenting their child(ren) and to those whose child(ren) have been removed due to reported child abuse or neglect and for whom a service plan has not been developed for their child(ren).
Basic Assumptions of the Pregnant and/or Parenting Program
Pregnancy and childbearing in adolescence are generally untimely events, out of sequence with societal expectations and developmental norms, and should be delayed whenever possible.
· A comprehensive array of services should be made available to those adolescents who are at risk of early sexual activity, those who are sexually active, and those who become pregnant and parenting.
· Case management and service delivery should be adapted to the developmental stage, abilities and particular needs of the adolescent.
· Pregnant and parenting wards have the right to receive services without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, economic status, marital status, or plans regarding the resolution of pregnancy. Services should be delivered in the context of the client's community, cultural and ethnic background.
· Pregnant adolescents should be fully informed about all options for resolution of the pregnancy.
· The needs, rights and responsibilities of young fathers (acknowledged, adjudicated, putative) are equally important and should also receive full attention in the provision of services.
· The responsibilities and legal rights of fathers of children born to adolescent mothers extend beyond the obligation of financial support. The father should share responsibility with the mother for the child's overall welfare, including health, personal development and support. Regular contact between fathers and child(ren) should be encouraged whenever appropriate.
· Services must continue after the birth of the child when the teen elects to keep her/his baby.
· The families of pregnant and parenting adolescents are often their main source of support, and those relationships should be encouraged.
Consistent with the above-cited assumptions, the Pregnant and/or Parenting Program shall be maintained in accordance with the following DCFS policies:
Non-Discrimination
Pregnant and/or parenting wards shall not be retaliated against, discriminated against nor penalized because they are pregnant or parenting or because they have had successive pregnancies.
Consultation With Legal Counsel
Department employees, private agencies and foster parents shall not intentionally interfere or impede the ability of a pregnant/or parenting ward to communicate with her/his legal counsel. In addition, pregnant and/or parenting wards should not be questioned about their conversations with legal counsel nor should they be threatened or punished for asserting their legal rights through counsel.
Use of Coercion
Caseworkers and private providers shall use non-coercive measures of informing, educating and training pregnant and/or parenting wards on issues concerning pregnancy resolution and on the care of their child(ren). Pregnant and/or parenting wards shall not be threatened with release from DCFS custody or guardianship, with termination of their parental rights of their child(ren) or with false reports of abuse or neglect of their child(ren) in order to coerce the ward into cooperating with the ward's placement or service plan or to punish the ward for complaining about the quality of her/his placement or services. (It should be noted however, that in appropriate circumstances, DCFS can release a ward from custody or guardianship or take action to terminate the ward's parental rights of her/his child in accordance with state and federal law.)
Appropriate DMHDD Placements
Pregnant and/or parenting wards who are placed in a mental health facility operated by the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (DMHDD) and are clinically ready for discharge shall not remain in that facility unless otherwise permitted by law. The caseworker must make every effort to find the pregnant and/or parenting ward a suitable placement as soon as possible so that she or he can be discharged from the facility.
II. Eligibility Requirements
a) In order to qualify for the specialized services and placements available through this Program a ward must meet one or more of the following criteria:
1) Be a pregnant youth for whom the Department is legally responsible or for whom legal responsibility has been transferred to a successor guardian in accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 302 (Section 302.400); or
2) Be a parenting ward, female or male, who is the caregiver for her/his child(ren); or
3) Be a parenting ward, male or female, who is not the caregiver for the child(ren), but whose service plan does not contraindicate the parenting ward pursuing an active role in parenting her/his child(ren); or
4) Be a parenting ward, male or female, whose child(ren) has been removed from her/his custody by DCFS due to neglect or abuse and the service plan for the child(ren) has not yet been developed.
b) Within 14 days of the caseworker determining that a pregnant and/or parenting ward meets one of the criteria listed above, the caseworker shall complete an Unusual Incident Report (UIR) to document the pregnancy and subsequent birth of the child(ren). The UIR must contain the following information:
(i) the ward's name and gender;
(ii) ward's date of birth;
(iii) name, type and location of current placement or whether the ward is on runaway status;
(iv) whether the ward is pregnant and, if so, her due date;
(v) the name(s) and birth date(s) of any child(ren) born to the ward;
(vi) whether the ward's child(ren) reside with the ward; and
(vii) any special needs the ward may have.
If a ward is pregnant, an additional UIR must be completed after she gives birth which contains information about the child born to the ward, or, if she does not give birth, specifies information regarding pregnancy resolution. (Also, when a male ward expresses an interest in taking an active role in parenting his child the caseworker must complete a UIR.)
c) A pregnant and/or parenting ward remains eligible to receive appropriate services as long as she/he remains in the care of DCFS and the ward cooperates with the service plan - until age 21 if necessary.
d) In accordance with Rules and Procedures 305, Client Service Planning, any ward who is not currently actively involved in the parenting of her or his child(ren) may request that her/his service plan be amended to permit her/him to do so. A caseworker receiving such a request shall notify the Teen Parent Coordinator (see Section V below), in writing, within 21 calendar days of receiving the request to make changes in the service plan. If the service plan is not amended, the youth is entitled to appeal the denial decision through the service appeals system.
III. Service Planning
Service planning for pregnant and/or parenting wards requires consideration of the unique needs of the specific ward, both generally and as they relate to pregnancy or parenting. Special consideration must be given to the needs of wards who are developmentally delayed or at high risk (e.g. those wards under age 14). When a caseworker is attempting to locate a resource for a pregnant and/or parenting youth the caseworker should secure consultation from the Teen Parent Coordinator, when necessary, in order to identify the community resources available to serve pregnant and/or parenting youth.
Some of the service needs which apply to all wards in the pregnant and/or parenting program are listed below.
a) Discussion Of Parental Options
Upon learning that a ward is pregnant and/or desires to parent her/his child, the assigned caseworker shall counsel the ward or refer the ward for counseling on the following available alternatives: keeping and raising the child, including the risks associated with childbirth; relinquishing the child for adoption; transferring guardianship to other family members; terminating the pregnancy, including the risks associated with abortion. (See Procedures 327, Guardianship Services.)
b) Counseling
Counseling shall be provided to help the ward address and manage the responsibilities and tasks of pregnancy and parenting. Counseling needs should be addressed on an individual, couple, or group basis, depending on the circumstances of the pregnant and/or parenting ward.
c) Health Care
A pregnant ward has prenatal and postnatal nutritional and medical needs which must be addressed on a regular and consistent basis. Primary care for the parent must also be addressed. Prenatal care should begin as soon as the pregnancy is identified. Medical care is essential to ensure the health and welfare of the parent as well as the child. Pediatric care for the ward's child should be facilitated. (See Section VI, Financial Provisions (b) and (c) below.)
d) Parenting Training
The ward will need to receive broad, comprehensive training regarding her/his child rearing responsibilities. At a minimum this training shall address the following: proper care of the child (including appropriate nurturance and stimulation); financial management; ways that the parent can provide for her/his health care needs as well as those of the child(ren); emergency care (including infant-child CPR); proper nutrition; and appropriate clothing and hygiene. A pregnant or parenting ward must be taught day to day living skills which include those related to parenting and maintaining a family. (See Procedures 302, Appendix H, Supervised Independent Living Program.)
e) Parenting Responsibilities
The authority of the Guardianship Administrator and Authorized Agents to consent to certain procedures and services on behalf of wards does not extend to the minor's medical care during pregnancy. Nor does the consent authority extend to the child of a ward unless the Department has been made legally responsible for the child of the ward through a separate court proceeding. The parenting ward must be informed of her/his responsibility to authorize medical care for the child(ren) and to keep the child(ren)'s medical records. The parenting ward also has a responsibility to obtain and retain birth certificate(s) of the child(ren) as well as other pertinent information.
f) Paternity and Outreach to Fathers
The caseworker shall provide information and support to fathers, including information about rights and obligations with respect to the Putative Father Registry, child support and the establishment of paternity.
It is usually in the interest of the child, both parents and society at-large that the non-caregiving parent participate in the emotional and financial well-being of a child. Therefore, service planning should include outreach to fathers where appropriate.
Placement and services shall be made in consideration of a policy to actively encourage fathers for whom the Department is legally responsible to engage in child rearing. Parenting fathers and fathers expressing an interest in parenting need the same supports extended to parenting mothers. These supports include, but are not limited to placements that support and encourage the care of their child(ren), day care services so the parenting wards may attend school and/or work, counseling, and parenting classes.
Note: Information regarding the Putative Father Registry and registration forms may be obtained from:
The Illinois Putative Father Registry
Department of Children and Family Services
160 North LaSalle Street - 6th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
Telephone: 1- (800) 420-2574
g) Education
Rules and Procedures 314, Educational Services, detail the rights of children and youth for whom the Department is legally responsible to a free, appropriate education. The caseworker is responsible for assisting each pregnant and/or parenting ward to enroll or obtain appropriate elementary or secondary schooling. Wards shall not be prevented from attending school solely because they are pregnant and/or parenting. Supportive services should be used where necessary to enable pregnant and/or parenting wards to attend and achieve in elementary and secondary school (e.g. tutoring). Pregnant and/or parenting wards should also be provided with available services to compensate for any elementary or secondary school missed due to pregnancy or due to any placement disruption related to the ward's pregnancy or birth of her/his child(ren).
The caseworker must ensure that pregnant and/or parenting wards are not classified as being in need of special education or having behavioral disorders solely because they are pregnant and/or parenting. The assistance of the Statewide Education Coordinator shall be sought if the caseworker determines that the pregnant and/or parenting ward has been inappropriately classified for educational purposes. (See Procedures 314.)
In accordance with Procedures 314, the caseworker should arrange transportation for the pregnant and/or parenting ward to and from school - including any necessary transportation for the ward's child(ren) to attend child care to enable the ward to attend school. Transportation is necessary when it is a barrier which will prevent the ward from attending school if it is not provided. Arrangement of transportation may include, for example, tokens for public transportation or arrangements for transportation with the school or the ward's placement.
Pregnant and/or parenting wards should be encouraged, where appropriate, to participate in post-secondary educational or vocational programs. Such encouragement may include assisting the ward in applying for scholarships or student loans and assisting with the school's application process.
Although DCFS is not legally or financially responsible for the parenting ward's child(ren) (unless the Department has been made legally responsible for the ward's child through court action due to abuse, neglect or dependency), the caseworker should assist the parenting ward in enrolling her/his own child(ren) in any appropriate and available educational or pre-educational programs and making application for financial assistance. (See Rules and Procedures 314, Educational Services, for a description of available early intervention and preschool programs.)
h) Preventive Services
Pregnant and parenting wards shall receive a range of preventive services including family life education, family planning services, family counseling, and sex education (including information on the prevention and treatment of disease as well as the prevention of pregnancy.)
i) Respite
Availability of respite time is critical to the maintenance of a ward's healthy development. Service planning for a ward in the Pregnant and/or Parenting Program should include the consideration of recreational activities and means by which the ward's interest in such activities may be engaged and sustained.
j) Day Care
Parenting wards shall be provided with child care services as allowed by Procedures 359, Authorized Child Care Payments, including transportation to and from the day care facility, where necessary to enable the ward to attend elementary and secondary school or receive other services such as training, vocational education, and counseling as identified in the ward's service plan.
k) Review Appropriateness of Placement
The caseworker shall review the pregnant and/or parenting ward's current placement to ascertain the feasibility of the ward remaining in her/his current placement while pregnant and/or parenting. Efforts must be made to maintain the placement if at all possible. Such efforts might include securing necessary supportive services, conducting emergency staffings and family conferences, and/or obtaining crisis intervention services to stabilize and maintain the current placement. The Teen Parent Coordinator is available to assist with crisis management.
l) Special Needs
Whenever a mental health or developmental disabilities facility operated by DMHDD learns that a ward in its care is pregnant and/or parenting, the facility is required to notify the ward's caseworker and the Teen Parent Coordinator within seven days. Upon receiving such information, the assigned caseworker shall ensure that pregnant wards receive counseling about their pregnancy options, appropriate pre-natal care and other appropriate and adequate services discussed above if they choose to keep the child.
Whenever a mental health or developmental disabilities facility operated by DMHDD determines that a pregnant or parenting ward is clinically ready for discharge, the facility is required to notify the caseworker, in writing, of its intent to discharge the ward. The facility is required to issue such notice at least seven days prior to the intended discharge date, and provide copies of the notice to the Teen Parent Coordinator and the ward's attorney. The caseworker shall make every effort to secure an appropriate placement for the ward by the intended discharge date.
Core services shall be made available to all parenting wards regardless of placement. Core services include counseling, education assistance, day care, parenting training and sex education.
IV. Placement Options
Should it become necessary to seek a different placement for a pregnant and/or parenting ward, the assigned caseworker must carefully assess the youth's ability to care for herself/himself and her/his child(ren) when deciding which placement would be appropriate. All placements should be made consistent with the basic assumptions of the Pregnant and/or Parenting Program. (See Section I, Purpose.)
Parenting wards should be placed with their child(ren) unless separate placement is necessary for the safety or treatment of the parenting ward or the child(ren). If the parenting ward requires medical or mental health treatment, parent and child should be separated only if in-patient treatment is required or if it is determined that remaining with the parent(s) puts the child(ren) at risk.
If the caseworker proposes to separate the parenting ward from her/his child(ren), the caseworker shall notify the Teen Parent Coordinator prior to effecting the change in placement. If the caseworker and the ward are unable to identify a mutually agreeable plan, then the caseworker shall advise the ward that she/he has the right to appeal any final placement decision, and shall direct the ward to the proper channels for making a service appeal.
The assigned caseworker may secure consultation to help make a determination regarding an appropriate placement for the pregnant or parenting youth. Consultation with the Teen Parent Coordinator may also be sought regarding the programs private purchase of service providers may have for wards who are pregnant and/or parenting.
In accordance with Rules and Procedures 301, Placement and Visitation Services, children and youth for whom the Department is legally responsible shall be placed in the least restrictive setting possible which is consistent with their needs and best interests. The available placement options in the continuum of care follow. As stated above, core services shall be made available to all parenting wards regardless of placement. The following descriptions highlight various services upon which the specific placements focus.
· Home of Relative/Foster Care - For wards who can benefit from a family setting and need the nurturing through modeling to learn effective parenting skills.
Foster parent(s) must be able to assist rather than "take over" child care responsibilities. Services include day care, in-home support services, high risk pregnancy services, and informal recreation.
· Group Homes/Residential - For wards who exhibit dysfunctional behavior and need structure, but are also ready to begin formal independent living and parenting skills training. Services include individual and group therapy, behavior management, specialized educational services, day care, medical care for wards and their children, sex education and family planning, and parenting and independent living skills classes.
· Independent Living - Youth considered for this living arrangement are wards aged 16-21 who have demonstrated some basic independent living/life skills and parenting skills prior to this placement. Age is not the sole criterion for entering an independent living program. The ward must have demonstrated that she/he is capable of caring for herself/himself and the child(ren). See Procedures 302, Appendix H, Supervised Independent Living Program. Services include individual counseling, monthly home visits, day care, medical care referral, parenting classes, and job support.
In addition to the above, the caseworker should consult with the Teen Parent Coordinator and regional resource staff regarding placement resources and services for pregnant and or parenting youths who have special needs due to high-risk pregnancy, developmental disability, mental illness or similar conditions.
V. Teen Parent Coordinator
The Department has appointed a Teen Parent Coordinator to coordinate the development of programs and services for pregnant and parenting wards and to provide expertise concerning this population to other staff.
Any questions or concerns of caseworkers or private providers regarding pregnant and parenting wards should be referred to the Teen Parent Coordinator. The Teen Parent Coordinator can be reached as follows:
Teen Parent Coordinator
Department of Children and Family Services
100 West Randolph Street- Suite 6-200
Chicago, IL 60601
Telephone: (312) 814-5991
For monitoring purposes, caseworkers must notify the Teen Parent Coordinator when any of the following events occur:
1. Whenever a caseworker determines that a child or youth for whom the Department is legally responsible is pregnant or parenting and meets the eligibility requirements specified in Section II (a), Eligibility Requirements of this Appendix J - P302. If a ward is identified as pregnant, a follow-up notification must be submitted which provides information about the child born to the ward, or, if the ward did not give birth, specifies other information regarding pregnancy resolution.
2. Whenever a ward who is a parent decides that she/he would like to pursue an active role in parenting her/his child(ren) and requests that her/his service plan be amended to provide for the parenting ward to do so. The caseworker must notify the Teen Parent Coordinator of the request within 21 days of the date the request is made.
3. Whenever a parenting ward who has custody of her/his child is placed separately from that child because the separate placement is necessary for the safety or treatment of the ward or the ward's child(ren).
These notifications shall be provided in the form of an Unusual Incident Report (UIR). The UIR should contain the information specified in Section II (b) of this Appendix J - P302. Additionally, the UIR should specify the reason for the notification:
1) pregnant or parenting ward identified;
2) pregnant or parenting ward seeking an active role in parenting her/his child(ren); or
3) placement of a ward's child in a separate placement from the ward.
VI. Financial Provisions |
a) Living Maintenance. Pregnant and/or parenting wards shall be provided with the type of living arrangement appropriate to their needs (foster family or relative care, residential care in a child care institution or group home, or supervised independent living program (SILP), and may receive special payments in accordance with their needs or the needs of the child(ren). See Procedures 359, Authorized Child Care Payments.
b) Medical Care. All wards, including those who are pregnant and/or parenting, are eligible for enrollment in the Department's statewide health care provider network, Healthworks of Illinois. The ward's non-ward children may also be eligible for medical coverage through Healthworks. As a result of welfare reform, parenting wards will no longer be sent to the Department of Public Aid (DPA) for financial assistance and their children's medical coverage. To obtain medical coverage for all non-ward children living with the ward parent, thecaseworker shall contact the Federal Financial Participation, Technical Support Unit (217) 524-1974.
c) Financial Assistance. When a caseworker learns that a baby has been born to a ward (and the baby will be living with the ward), the caseworker shall contact the Federal Financial Participation Division, Technical Support Unit (217) 524-1974. FFP-TSU will register (but not open) the non-ward child(ren) under a new CYCIS family ID, with the parenting ward as Head of Household (H) in the new family and Both (B) in the original family. The other natural parent will also be registered to the new family. The non-ward child now has a permanent CYCIS ID. The child would retain this ID should the case be opened in the future. TSU will also open a medical (98) case for the non-ward child baby and assign a special service fee that replaces the financial assistance previously provided by DPA. This special service fee and others that a worker can authorize are described in Procedures 350.40, Authorized Child Care Payments. The caseworker will receive a CFS 1410, Case Registration Case Opening, turnaround document to be placed in the ward's family file.
The Technical Support Unit will need the following information to initiate a Medical Card and the financial assistance Special Service Fee:
1) Caseworker name, region/site/field
2) Ward's name
3) Ward's ID number
4) Ward's birth date
5) Ward's social security number
6) Non-ward child(ren)'s name
7) Non-ward child(ren)'s birth date
8) Non-ward child(ren)'s race
9) Non-ward child(ren)'s social security number or applied-for date
10) Any information regarding the other natural parent.
The special service fees should be used by the ward for care of her/his child(ren). The money can be used for diapers, clothing, food or other needs identified by the teen parent. Because learning how to budget the use of money is an important step toward independence
for a young parent, the responsibility for spending the special service fee is the ward's, not the caregiver's. However, if the ward parent does not have experience in managing money or has demonstrated a general immaturity or irresponsibility, the foster parents or the responsible individual may assist the ward with budgeting.
If DCFS obtains legal responsibility for a ward's child because of abuse, neglect, the child's living conditions with the ward parent shall be assessed according to Procedures 300 Appendix G. The CYSIS ID number for the child shall be the same number assigned when receiving medical and financial assistance.
VII. Transitioning Out |
At least twelve months prior to the pregnant and/or parenting ward's eighteenth birthday, the caseworker and her/his supervisor shall conduct a staffing with the ward to review her or his plans for the care of the child(en) and themselves as the youth enters adulthood. In attendance at the staffing should be any current service providers, foster parents, and any relatives or friends invited by the ward.
At the staffing, caseworker and the ward will discuss, at minimum:
a) child care for the ward's child(ren);
b) education for the ward and her or his child(ren);
c) employment opportunities and difficulties;
d) housing options;
e) available public benefits; and
f) community services and support networks available to the ward.
The caseworker must assist the ward in developing a transition plan, which addresses these issues and others unique to the youth's circumstances. The caseworker will also refer the ward to community organizations linked with the Children & Adolescent Local Area Network (LAN) in the youth's residential area.
Not more than three months after the staffing and at three-month intervals, the caseworker and his/her supervisor shall meet with the pregnant and/or parenting ward to review implementation of any plans developed at the prior transition meeting. If necessary, the transition plan shall be refined and additional referrals provided to community organizations in the ward's residential area.
Transition planning is intended to prepare a youth to be on her or his own when discharged from the guardianship of DCFS - usually at age eighteen. A court may continue guardianship of a ward until the age of 21 when the court determines that it is in the best interest of the youth and the public to continue wardship. The youth remains eligible for services under the Pregnant and/or Parenting Program during that time.