Section 7 AAC 67.230 - Program and management in foster home(a) A foster home shall promote the physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional development of a child in care, including(1) supporting the child's choice of participation in religious or faith-based services, including providing for transportation to those services;(2) supporting the child's choice of participation in ethnic or cultural events, including providing for transportation to those events;(3) helping the child develop age-appropriate patterns of behavior that foster constructive relationships and increase the child's coping skills; and(4) providing the child with access to safe and suitable toys and activities that contribute to developing the child's physical, mental, social, and emotional skills.(b) Except for medical reasons, a foster parent may not deny food to a child, force-feed a child, or otherwise coerce a child to eat against the child's will for any reason.(c) A child in care shall be clean and groomed appropriately. A foster parent is responsible for providing a child in care with items needed for grooming and personal hygiene.(d) A foster parent is responsible for providing each a child in care with clean, wellfitting clothing appropriate to the age of the child and seasonal weather conditions.(e) A foster parent is responsible for ensuring that chores are shared equitably with other children in the foster home and do not interfere with school, health, and necessary recreation. The foster parent may assign a child in care with chores appropriate to the child's age, health, and ability. A child in care may (1) do regular household tasks without payment;(2) do work assignments other than household tasks that are appropriate to the child's age and physical conditions and receive monetary compensation for that chore; or(3) receive an allowance, if allowances are given to other children in the foster home.(f) A foster parent shall consider money earned or received as a gift or allowance or from another source as the child in care's personal property. The foster parent is responsible for educating the child about money management and planning as age appropriate. A member of a foster home may not borrow or spend money acquired by a child in care. A foster parent may limit the amount of money a child in care may possess or have access to if the limitations are in the child's best interest. A foster parent shall notify the child's caseworker if the child's funds or savings exceed $200.(g) A foster parent shall allow the child access to personal belongings that the child brought or acquired while in care. If some of the child's possessions create health or safety concerns to the child or foster home, the foster parent shall discuss the issue with the child's caseworker.(h) A foster parent shall support the child's education plan as indicated by the department and child's school, including providing a space for homework and materials needed. A child in care shall attend a public school unless the department approves alternate education.(i) A foster parent may not transfer a child from the child's home school to another school without permission from the child's caseworker.(j) A foster parent shall comply with the child's case plan and family contact plan.(k) The foster parent is responsible for ensuring the child's privacy within the foster home by (1) having household members make themselves known before entering the child's room or bathroom when the child is using it;(2) not performing a pat, body, or strip search of the child in care;(3) not performing invasive searches of a child's room, except when there is cause to believe there is a health or safety concern;(4) not using surveillance cameras in areas of the home where the child should expect privacy, such as bedrooms and bathrooms; the appropriate use of a video baby monitor system for infants and toddlers, and bed alarms to meet the medical needs of a child are allowed; and(5) not opening a child's mail or packages, including electronically transmitted communications, unless specified in the child's case or treatment plan; if otherwise not noted in a plan, the foster parent shall seek consent from the child's caseworker if there is concern for the health and safety of the child.Eff. 7/1/2022, Register 242, July 2022Authority:AS 44.30.020
AS 47.32.010
AS 47.32.030