Effective - 28 Aug 2020, 2 histories
210.566. Foster parents' bill of rights. — 1. (1) The children's division and its contractors, recognizing that foster parents are not clients but rather are colleagues in the child welfare team, shall treat foster parents in a manner consistent with the National Association of Social Workers' ethical standards of conduct as described in its Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues. Foster parents shall treat the children in their care, the child's birth family and members of the child welfare team in a manner consistent with their ethical responsibilities as professional team members.
(2) The children's division and its contractors shall provide written notification of the rights enumerated in this section at the time a child is placed with the prospective foster parent, at initial licensure, and at the time of each licensure renewal following the initial licensure period.
2. (1) The children's division and its contractors shall provide foster parents with regularly scheduled opportunities for preservice training, and regularly scheduled opportunities for pertinent inservice training, as determined by the Missouri State Foster Care and Adoption Advisory Board.
(2) The children's division and its contractors shall provide to foster parents and potential adoptive parents, prior to placement, all pertinent information, including but not limited to full disclosure of all medical, psychological, and psychiatric conditions of the child, as well as information from previous placements that would indicate that the child or children may have a propensity to cause violence to any member of the foster family home. The foster parents shall be provided with any information regarding the child or the child's family, including but not limited to the case plan, any family history of mental or physical illness, sexual abuse of the child or sexual abuse perpetrated by the child, criminal background of the child or the child's family, fire-setting or other destructive behavior by the child, substance abuse by the child or child's family, or any other information which is pertinent to the care and needs of the child and to protect the foster or adoptive family. The children's division and its contractors shall provide full access to the child's medical, psychological, and psychiatric records in its possession at the time of placement, including records prior to the child coming into care, at the time the child is placed with a foster parent. After initial placement, the children's division and its contractors shall have a continuing duty and obligation to provide access to such records that come into its possession or of which the division or its contractors become aware. Access shall include providing information and authorization for foster parents to review or to obtain the records directly from the medical, psychological, or psychiatric services provider. A foster parent may decline access to any or all of the child's records. Knowingly providing false or misleading information to foster parents in order to secure placement shall be denoted in the caseworker's personnel file and shall be kept on record by the division.
(3) The children's division and its contractors shall arrange preplacement visits, except in emergencies.
(4) The foster parents may ask questions about the child's case plan, encourage a placement or refuse a placement without reprisal from the caseworker or agency. After a placement, the children's division and its contractors shall update the foster parents as new information about the child is gathered.
(5) Foster parents shall be informed in a timely manner by the children's division and its contractors of all team meetings and staffings concerning their licensure status or children placed in their homes, and shall be allowed to participate, consistent with section 210.761.
(6) The children's division and its contractors shall establish reasonably accessible respite care for children in foster care for short periods of time, jointly determined by foster parents and the child's caseworker pursuant to section 210.545. Foster parents shall follow all procedures established by the children's division and its contractors for requesting and using respite care.
(7) Foster parents shall treat all information received from the children's division and its contractors about the child and the child's family as confidential. Information necessary for the medical or psychiatric care of the child may be provided to the appropriate practitioners. Foster parents may share information necessary with school personnel in order to secure a safe and appropriate education for the child. Additionally, foster parents shall share information they may learn about the child and the child's family, and concerns that arise in the care of the child, with the caseworker and other members of the child welfare team. Recognizing that placement changes are difficult for children, foster parents shall seek all necessary information, and participate in preplacement visits whenever possible, before deciding whether to accept a child for placement.
3. (1) Foster parents shall make decisions about the daily living concerns of the child, and shall be permitted to continue the practice of their own family values and routines while respecting the child's cultural heritage. All discipline shall be consistent with state laws and regulations. The children's division shall allow foster parents to help plan visitation between the child and the child's siblings or biological family. Visitations should be scheduled at a time that meets the needs of the child, the biological family members, and the foster family whenever possible. Recognizing that visitation with family members is an important right of children in foster care, foster parents shall be flexible and cooperative with regard to family visits. The children's division shall not require foster parents to conduct supervised visits or be present during any supervised visits between the child and the child's siblings or biological family.
(2) Foster parents shall provide care that is respectful of the child's cultural identity and needs. Recognizing that cultural competence can be learned, the children's division and their contractors shall provide foster parents with training that specifically addresses cultural needs of children, including but not limited to, information on skin and hair care, information on any specific religious or cultural practices of the child's biological family, and referrals to community resources for ongoing education and support.
(3) Foster parents shall recognize that the purpose of discipline is to teach and direct the behavior of the child, and ensure that it is administered in a humane and sensitive manner. Foster parents shall use discipline methods which are consistent with children's division policy.
4. (1) Consistent with state laws and regulations, the children's division and its contractors shall provide, upon request by the foster parents, information about a child's progress after the child leaves foster care.
(2) Except in emergencies, foster parents shall be given two weeks advance notice and a written statement of the reasons before a child is removed from their care. When requesting removal of a child from their home, foster parents shall give two weeks advance notice, consistent with division policy, to the child's caseworker, except in emergency situations.
(3) Recognizing the critical nature of attachment for children, if a child reenters the foster care system and is not placed in a relative home, the child's former foster parents shall be given first consideration for placement of the child.
(4) If a child becomes free for adoption while in foster care, the child's foster family shall be given preferential consideration as adoptive parents consistent with section 453.070.
(5) If a foster child becomes free for adoption and the foster parents desire to adopt the child, they shall inform the caseworker within sixty days of the caseworker's initial query. If they do not choose to pursue adoption, foster parents shall make every effort to support and encourage the child's placement in a permanent home, including but not limited to providing information on the history and care needs of the child and accommodating transitional visitation.
5. Foster parents shall be informed by the court no later than two weeks prior to all court hearings pertaining to a child in their care, and informed of their right to attend and participate, consistent with section 211.464.
6. The children's division and their contractors shall provide access to a fair and impartial grievance process to address licensure, case management decisions, and delivery of service issues. Foster parents shall have timely access to the child placement agency's appeals process, and shall be free from acts of retaliation when exercising the right to appeal.
7. The children's division and their contractors shall provide training to foster parents on the policies and procedures governing the licensure of foster homes, the provision of foster care, and the adoption process. Foster parents shall, upon request, be provided with written documentation of the policies of the children's division and their contractors. Per licensure requirements, foster parents shall comply with the policies of the child placement agency.
8. For purposes of this section, "foster parent" means a resource family providing care of children in state custody.
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(L. 2002 S.B. 923, et al., A.L. 2007 S.B. 25, A.L. 2020 H.B. 1414 merged with S.B. 653)
Structure Missouri Revised Statutes
Title XII - Public Health and Welfare
Chapter 210 - Child Protection and Reformation
Section 210.004 - Law enforcement agencies, record of custody of child.
Section 210.027 - Direct payment recipients, child care providers — department's duties.
Section 210.030 - Blood tests of pregnant women.
Section 210.040 - Blood test results — confidential.
Section 210.050 - Reporting required.
Section 210.060 - Noncompliance a misdemeanor — penalty.
Section 210.070 - Prophylactic eye drops at birth — objection to, when.
Section 210.080 - Report of infant eye inflammation, by whom.
Section 210.100 - Violation a misdemeanor.
Section 210.108 - Dominic James Memorial Foster Care Reform Act, statutes involved.
Section 210.110 - Definitions.
Section 210.113 - Accreditation goal, when to be achieved.
Section 210.114 - Qualified immunity for private contractor, when — exceptions.
Section 210.116 - Sharing of information with child welfare agencies and law enforcement, when.
Section 210.117 - Child not reunited with parents or placed in a home, when.
Section 210.120 - Medical institution staff members, duties of.
Section 210.127 - Diligent search for biological parents required, when.
Section 210.130 - Oral reports, when and where made — contents of reports.
Section 210.135 - Immunity from liability, when — exception — preliminary evaluation required, when.
Section 210.140 - Privileged communication not recognized, exception.
Section 210.150 - Confidentiality of reports and records, exceptions — violations, penalty.
Section 210.165 - Penalty for violation.
Section 210.166 - Medical neglect of child, who may bring action — procedure.
Section 210.171 - Definitions.
Section 210.172 - Powers and duties of board.
Section 210.180 - Division employees to be trained.
Section 210.183 - Alleged perpetrator to be provided written description of investigation process.
Section 210.188 - Report to general assembly and governor, contents.
Section 210.194 - Rules, guidelines and protocols — confidentiality requirements.
Section 210.201 - Definitions.
Section 210.203 - Complaints against child care facilities, open records to be kept by department.
Section 210.231 - Department of elementary and secondary education may delegate powers.
Section 210.241 - Judicial review.
Section 210.256 - Violations, penalties — injunction, procedure.
Section 210.257 - Rules, procedure to adopt.
Section 210.278 - Exempt from licensure, when.
Section 210.481 - Definitions.
Section 210.484 - Residential care facilities license required.
Section 210.496 - Refusal to issue, suspension or revocation of licenses — grounds.
Section 210.501 - Application for licensure, form, contents.
Section 210.506 - Rules, procedure — promulgation, persons to be consulted.
Section 210.516 - Exceptions to license requirement — division may not require documentation.
Section 210.521 - Assistance for division in licensure of foster homes.
Section 210.531 - Violations or false statements, penalty.
Section 210.537 - County foster parent associations may be established, duties of division.
Section 210.539 - State health insurance, foster parents may purchase, when.
Section 210.543 - Specialized foster parents, training, fiscal incentives.
Section 210.545 - Respite care facilities for foster families — rules and regulations — procedure.
Section 210.564 - Citation of law — foster care bill of rights.
Section 210.566 - Foster parents' bill of rights.
Section 210.570 - Text of compact.
Section 210.580 - Compact binding, when.
Section 210.590 - Courts and agencies to cooperate to promote purposes of compact.
Section 210.620 - Compact enacted, text of compact.
Section 210.620 - Compact enacted, text of compact.
Section 210.625 - Financial responsibility for child, how fixed.
Section 210.625 - Financial responsibility for child, how fixed.
Section 210.630 - Definitions — governor's appointment of administrator authorized.
Section 210.635 - Placement authority of courts, retention of jurisdiction.
Section 210.635 - Placement authority of courts, retention of jurisdiction.
Section 210.640 - Placements from nonparty states, procedure for.
Section 210.640 - Placements from nonparty states, procedure for.
Section 210.650 - Contingent effective date.
Section 210.652 - Electronic exchanging of data and documents.
Section 210.680 - Rulemaking authority.
Section 210.761 - Right to testify at foster care hearings, qualifications, limitation.
Section 210.762 - Family support team meetings to be held, when — who may attend — form to be used.
Section 210.764 - Certain case records available for review by parents or guardians.
Section 210.790 - Foster parent standing for court proceedings.
Section 210.817 - Definitions.
Section 210.818 - Relationship not dependent on marriage.
Section 210.819 - Parent and child relationship, how established.
Section 210.822 - Presumption of paternity — rebuttal of presumption, standard of proof.
Section 210.828 - Statute of limitations, exception — notification form required, when.
Section 210.829 - Jurisdiction, venue, severance — effect of failure to join action for necessaries.
Section 210.830 - Parties — guardian ad litem, when appointed.
Section 210.834 - Blood tests — expert defined.
Section 210.836 - Evidence relating to paternity.
Section 210.838 - Pretrial recommendation — actions, effect of party's refusal to accept.
Section 210.841 - Judgment or order, contents — amount of support, presumption.
Section 210.844 - Applicability of certain statutes.
Section 210.845 - Modification of decree, when — procedure, burden.
Section 210.846 - Hearings and records, confidentiality — inspection allowed, when.
Section 210.848 - Action to declare mother and child relationship.
Section 210.849 - Birth records.
Section 210.850 - Uniformity of application and construction.
Section 210.851 - Citation of law.
Section 210.852 - Application to actions commenced prior to effective date.
Section 210.853 - Parenting plan in paternity actions.
Section 210.875 - Children's services commission study, purpose.
Section 210.877 - Courts and agencies to provide information.
Section 210.900 - Definitions.
Section 210.903 - Family care safety registry and access line established, contents.
Section 210.912 - Right to appeal, procedure.
Section 210.915 - Departmental collaboration on registry information — rulemaking authority.
Section 210.918 - Toll-free telephone service maintained for access to information.
Section 210.922 - Use of registry information by certain departments, when.
Section 210.924 - Rulemaking authority.
Section 210.927 - Annual report, when, contents.
Section 210.936 - Registry information deemed public record.
Section 210.1030 - Task force created, members, duties — termination date.
Section 210.1210 - Policy recommendations.
Section 210.1250 - Citation of law.
Section 210.1253 - Definitions.
Section 210.1259 - Director of facility to provide notice — facility registration — inapplicability.
Section 210.1262 - Notification, filing, contents.
Section 210.1263 - Background checks required, when.
Section 210.1265 - Fire, safety, health, and sanitation inspections, facility to comply.
Section 210.1268 - Operation without proper notification, court injunction, when.
Section 210.1280 - Facility compliance list to be maintained, contents.
Section 210.1283 - Failure to complete a background check, penalty.