D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 29, r. 29-6026

Current through Register Vol. 71, No. 49, December 6, 2024

Rule 29-6026 - FOSTER PARENT TRAINING

6026.1

An applicant shall participate in an information session offered by the agency.

6026.2

In addition to the information session required by §§ 6026.1, an applicant shall participate in and complete thirty (30) hours of pre-service training offered by the agency. An agency may require an applicant to retake the pre-service training required by this subsection, if the applicant is not licensed within the timeframe specified by the pre-service training curriculum currently offered by the agency.

6026.3

Pre-service training shall encompass the following areas:

(a) Role and relationships in foster care between CFSA, agency personnel, the resource parent, the foster child, and the foster child's family;

(b) The importance of the foster child's family and the foster child's relationship with them;

(c) Developmental needs of children in foster care, including children with a disability;

(d) Awareness of cultural and religious differences;

(e) Child management and discipline techniques;

(f) Child abuse and neglect, including prevention, reporting, investigation, and services;

(g) Supportive services available in the community for foster children and resource parents and their families;

(h) Self-awareness;

(i) Communication skills;

(j) Problem solving;

(k) This chapter of the DCMR;

(l) The licensure process, including the agency's internal processes;

(m) The procedures and practices of the Family Division of the District of Columbia Superior Court related to children in foster care;

(n) Information regarding the prevalence in foster care and unique health and social service needs of foster children who are at greater risk of aging out of foster care without being adopted, such as:

(1) Foster children fourteen (14) years of age or older;

(2) Foster children in sibling groups;

(3) Foster children of racial or ethnic minorities;

(4) Foster children with a disability; and

(5) Foster children who identify as LGBTQIA+ foster children.

(o) Cultural competency training designed to enhance awareness of the LGBTQIA+ community.

6026.4

In lieu of the training required by §§ 6026.2, an agency may accept training provided by another child-placing agency and completed satisfactorily by the applicant if the training and participation is properly documented and covers required areas.

6026.5

A resource parent shall participate in thirty (30) hours of in-service training every two (2) years to increase her or his skills and parenting abilities before the expiration of his or her license. This training shall be appropriate to the age and special needs of the foster children in the foster home, and may include formal seminars or workshops, support groups, or one-on-one training.

6026.6

A resource parent shall obtain and maintain documentation of any training in which the resource parent participates in accordance with §§6026.5 and submit such documentation during the re-evaluation in accordance with §§6030.3.

6026.7

To meet the thirty (30) hour requirement, in-service training provided shall be approved in advance by CFSA.

6026.8

(a)

Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a resource parent shall participate in specialized training if the foster child placed in the foster home:

(1) Is LGBTQIA+;

(2) Is a victim of sex trafficking, as that term is defined in Section 103(1) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, approved October 28, 2000 (114 Stat. 1469; 22 USC §§7102(1));

(3) Is a child with a disability;

(4) Is pregnant or a parent;

(5) Has a history of violent behavior;

(6) Is sixteen (16) years of age or older.

(b)

Specialized training shall be required unless the agency conducts an assessment of the resource parent's strengths and needs that indicates that specialized training is not necessary. The strengths and needs assessment shall include an evaluation of the resource parent's:

(1) Post-secondary education;

(2) Specialized certification or licensure;

(3) Employment experience; and

(4) Previous experience caring for the foster children described in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

6026.9

Within forty-five (45) days of identifying the need for specialized training in accordance with §§6026.8, the agency shall:

(a) Notify the resource parent of the requirement to complete specialized training pursuant to §§6026.8;

(b) Determine the course of specialized training that the resource parent shall complete; and

(c) Provide or assist the resource parent in obtaining the specialized training required pursuant to §§6026.8 within the timeframe required pursuant to §§6026.10, while reasonably accommodating the resource parent's schedule.

6026.10

Within ninety (90) days of receiving notice from the agency pursuant to §§6026.9(a), a resource parent shall complete the specialized training identified pursuant to §§6026.9(b).

6026.11

Only the following training may be counted towards the specialized training requirement of §§6026.8:

(a) Specialized training completed by a resource parent within the timeframe required pursuant to §§6026.10;

(b) Specialized training completed by a resource parent four (4) months prior to receiving notice from the agency pursuant to §§6026.9; or

(c) Specialized training completed by a resource parent one (1) year prior to the expiration date of the resource parent's current license.

6026.12

A resource parent shall obtain and maintain documentation of any training in which the resource parent participates in accordance with §§6026.8 and submit such documentation during the re-evaluation conducted in accordance with §§6030.3.

6026.13

A resource parent's completion of specialized training in accordance with §§6026.8 may be used to satisfy the hours of in-service training required pursuant to §§6026.5.

6026.14

For the purposes of this section, the term "child with a disability" shall have the same meaning as provided in Section 602(3) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, approved December 3, 2004 (118 Stat. 2652; 20 USC §§1401(3)).

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 29, r. 29-6026

Final Rulemaking published at 48 DCR 6617 (July 27, 2001); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 10669, 10670 (September 7, 2012); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 71 DCR 2859 (3/15/2024)

Authority: The Director of the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), pursuant to section 2(o) of the Child and Family Services Agency Establishment Amendment Act of 2000, effective April 4, 2001 (D.C. Law 13-277, D.C. Official Code § 4-1303.03 (a-1)(12) (2008 Repl.))