Approval: Connie Lambert-Eckel, Acting Assistant Secretary
Original Date: 1974
Revised Date: July 1, 2018
Sunset Review: July 1, 2023
Purpose
Applications for foster home licenses, adoption, relative care, and suitable other are submitted to local offices and processed by Division of Licensed Resources (DLR) staff, to assess competence and suitability of potential caregivers for children in out-of-home care.
Scope
This policy applies to all DLR licensing staff.
Laws
RCW 49.60.030 Freedom from discrimination, declaration of civil rights
RCW 74.13.250 Preservice training, foster parents
Policy
- Children's Administration (CA) is prohibited from denying any person the opportunity to become a foster or adoptive parent, on the following basis: race, creed, color, national origin, gender, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal.
- All applicants seeking to care for children in CA care and custody must have an approved family home study.
- All licensing applicants must complete required training as noted in 5180. Foster Parent Training.
- Relatives and suitable others seeking to be placement resources for children in foster care are not required to be licensed in order for the child to be placed with them, provided that they are appropriate and willing and able to meet the child’s needs. However, if the permanent plan is Relative Guardianship Assistance Program (RGAP) the relative is required to be foster care licensed.
- Applicants seeking only to be an adoptive placement are not required to be licensed.
- Applicants seeking a foster home license must meet the licensing regulations specified in WAC 388-148.
- Foster care maintenance payments can only be issued to licensed foster homes.
- All provider and case files (electronic and paper information) must be restricted for personnel and personnel’s household members if employed by: CA, Economic Services Administration (ESA), Department of Early Learning (DEL), or by DLR Administrator directive.
- DCYF employees seeking foster care licensing or adoptions follow DCYF Administrative 11.25 Child Care Licensing or Approval, Program Payments and Enrollment, Foster Care Licensing, Placement, and Adoption for DCYF Employees policy.
Procedures
The DLR worker or designee must:
- Begin a home study when DLR receives an application and completed background checks for all household member(s) and those living on the premises age 16 and older. DLR may decline a home study application if a child is not placed in the home and DCFS is not seeking placement with the applicant or if there are identified safety concerns.
- Date-stamp applications and accompanying documents from prospective applicants and assign to a DLR worker.
- Create a provider, if needed, and enter the application into FamLink.
- Compile a six section folder with documents filed with the most current document on top of the section. (See CA intranet under DLR Programs, DLR Forms)
- Store large documents for regional licensing in an additional file, clearly labeled as to the contents.
- Restrict access to provider files when applicable. See #8 above.
Forms
Resources
DCYF Administrative 11.25 Child Care Licensing or Approval, Program Payments and Enrollment, Foster Care Licensing, Placement, and Adoption for DCYF Employees policy