Important: Financial, sexual, or physical exploitation of a foster child, humiliation and retaliation are a violation of the child’s rights and will lead to removal of the child from the foster home and a report of abuse and neglect to the custodial agency and possibly law enforcement.

Important: When a child is in respite, the respite parent must give the child his or her allowance for each night the child is in the respite home.

CHILDREN'S SANCTUARY CASE MANAGER VISITS: The Children’s Sanctuary case manager will visit your home at least every two weeks and contact you via telephone once each week.  The Children’s Sanctuary case manager will visit your foster child away from the foster home, at least once a month.  Foster parents should report any problems with the child to the Children’s Sanctuary case manager.  A CSI case manager and supervisor are on-call 24 hours a day 7 days a week for emergencies. Report all problems affecting the child’s life as soon as possible.  Examples:

• Problems at school, i.e., detention, suspensions expulsion, any problems where a child needs help.

• Behavior problems at home or school, i.e., stealing, destroying property, violence towards self or others.

• Unusual, bizarre behavior, or comments, i.e., hoarding food, hearing voices, inappropriate comments or gestures.

• Serious incidents, i.e., violence, sexual acting out or assault, injury, hospitalization, or physical intervention. (Report immediately. Same as protocol for reporting abuse and neglect above.)

• Changes in medical or mental health services and problems with providers.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), (GAL) Guardian Ad Litem), PUBLIC CUSTODIAL AGENCY WORKER or other agent appointed by the public custodial agency or court may visit the foster home, respite home, or any place housing or caring for the child, including a baby sitter’s home at anytime unannounced. They have the right to interview the child (children) and inspect every area of the home where the child lives or has access. 

The foster family is responsible for providing clothing for a child during placement.  Buy your foster child clothes regularly.   This eliminates large expenditures and allows you to take advantage of sales.  Children's Sanctuary, Inc. requires you to spend $50 per month or $600 per year on new clothing for your foster child.  Please keep receipts as this may be audited by CSI or your state worker. 

DISCIPLINE: Foster parents must establish clear rules, expectations and behavioral limits including logical and natural consequences for negative behavior.  In disciplining a child, follow these guidelines:  

• Match the discipline to the behavior.

• Discipline a child only when it is necessary and be consistent.  Do not impose discipline randomly.

• Before imposing discipline consider what need the child is expressing by his or her behavior.

NEVER USE THE FOLLOWING FOR DISCIPLINE:

• Corporal punishment.

• Verbal abuse of any kind.

• Denial or limiting of food, sleep, shelter, phone contact or visits with family, case manager, or caseworker.

• Assignments of extreme physical exercise or work.

• Forcing a child to assume painful or uncomfortable positions.

• Excessive periods of grounding or isolation.

• Confinement to a locked room or bed.

• Mechanical restraints, i.e., handcuffs, restraint jackets, tape or rope.

• Washing a child’s mouth out with soap.

Important: Financial, sexual, or physical exploitation of a foster child, humiliation and retaliation are a violation of the child’s rights and will lead to removal of the child from the foster home and a report of abuse and neglect to the custodial agency and possibly law enforcement.

FOSTER HOME CONDITION:  Your Children’s Sanctuary Case Manager will visit your home a minimum of every other week.  He or she will complete an environmental safety check of your home once a month. Your home must be clean and free of clutter and safe for children at all times.  You must have working smoke alarms on each floor and in the kitchen, and a certified fire extinguisher on each floor and in the kitchen, including the basement.  Exposed wiring, chipped paint, broken floors, damaged or leaky plumbing or ceilings, water in basements, improperly installed or malfunctioning furnaces, water heaters, or appliances may result in revocation of your foster home license. 

Important: Foster parents are not to contact the custodial agency or the court to request a higher per diem rate.

Important: This rule includes temporary respite and baby setting.

RESPITE: Each foster parent will have an alternative care plan for their foster child in case of emergencies.  CSI recommends foster parents take four days respite each month.  Emergency respite is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.  Call the on-call CSI case manager after hours and on weekends. Only licensed foster parents may provide overnight respite.  The CSI case manager and the custodial agency worker must approve any overnight respite.   The primary foster parent is not paid for a child while the child is in respite with another foster parent.

Give the respite parent all essential information about the child, including a copy of the Safety- Service Plan, dietary needs, medication (for extent of respite only), Medicaid card/ Number, name of child’s doctor and dentist, behaviors to expect and if, when, and with whom the child has visits.  Include place of visit, length, and if supervised or unsupervised.  The Respite parent will continue to give the child an allowance while the child is in respite.

Important: The CSI case manager and custodial agency caseworker must know where your foster child is at all times.  Do not place a child in respite without contacting your CSI case manager.  Except for emergencies, you must give the CSI Case Manager ten (10) days notice.  The CSI case manager will contact the county custodial agency worker for approval for the respite.

SAFETY: Do not allow children to walk or play in “unsafe” areas, i.e., walking to and from work during late hours.  The foster parent is responsible for seeing that the child has safe transportation.  When you accept custody of a child you promise to provide a nurturing and safe environment.  Please adhere to the following safety precautions:

• Keep all hazardous chemicals securely locked in a cabinet or shed, especially flammables, i.e., gasoline, lighter fluid, paint thinner, charcoal starter, oil, matches, cigarette lighters, insecticides, weed killer.

• Keep all poisons, insecticides, herbicides, etc. securely locked in a cabinet or shed.

• Keep all household cleaning chemicals, i.e., bleach, ammonia, etc. out of reach of foster children.

• Keep all medication in a securely locked cabinet (see Medication Protocol below).

• Keep guns, knives, bows, etc. in a securely locked cabinet in your personal area of the house i.e., your bedroom or other area inaccessible to a foster child.  Keep weapons and ammunition locked in separate locations from each other (see weapons).

• Keep any item that could be used to harm oneself or another away from foster children when not being used for the purpose for which it was made, i.e., kitchen knives, hammers, screwdrivers, hatchets, axes, shovels, hoes, exacto knives, box cutters, cue sticks, pool balls, baseball bats, baseballs and softballs, hockey sticks, etc.

• Have your foster child wear a safety helmet and protective clothing when riding a bicycle, scooter, or skateboard.

• Do not allow a foster child to operate any motorized equipment, including automobile, motorcycle, riding lawnmower, or motorized terrain vehicles of any sort, without written permission from the public agency caseworker, parent, and Children’s Sanctuary, Inc.

School conferences:  Foster parents are expected to attend school conferences, to follow up on teachers’ notes, and see that the child complies with detentions.  Foster parents will provide transportation when necessary.  Fees for books, sports equipment, and school functions are the responsibility of the foster parents.

Important: Foster parents must have a designated emergency person available to get a child from school if the child is sick or hurt or suspended when the foster parent is unavailable.  The foster parent must designate a person who can care for the child until the foster parent is available.  Your case manager will give you a form to complete and return to Children's Sanctuary identifying your designated caregiver to contact in your absence.

SOCIAL, CULTURAL, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:  Children in foster care have the right to participate in age appropriate social and extracurricular activities, i.e., school sports and activities, church sports and activities, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, camps, band, Prom, dating, soccer.  The foster parent is responsible for assuring that the child is safe and protected when participating in activities outside the home.

In special cases overnight visits with friends may be allowed if certain conditions are met:

• The foster parent knows the friend’s parents and approve of the visit.
• The friend’s parents are willing, able, and capable of providing supervision of the children during the visit.
• The visit is not an overnight visit between youth who are romantically involved, i.e., boyfriends or girlfriends.
• The foster child does not have a medical or psychological condition that would place him or her, the friend, or the friend’s family at risk.
• The foster parent has written approval from the Children’s Sanctuary Case Manager and the Custodial Agency Family Case Manager.  This documentation must be in place prior to the overnight visit.
• The foster parent is not using the visit as a respite placement.  Respite must be approved in advance by the CSI case manager and the custodial agency worker.  Respite parents must be licensed/certified foster parents.

TRAINING: In accordance with Indiana and Ohio state regulations, foster parents must complete 20 to 30 hours of training every year.  Children’s Sanctuary will offer various training opportunities throughout the year.  Foster parents may attend other training available in the community with approval from Children’s Sanctuary.  To receive credit for training outside of Children’s Sanctuary, foster parents must obtain certificates of attendance noting title of training, date of training, name of trainer, and hours awarded, and submit copies to Children’s Sanctuary.

Important: Failure to complete state required annual training hours will jeopardize your license!

Important: Make sure your foster child is in your vehicle and buckled into his or her seat prior to departing.

Important: Children are not to transport clothing, other than dirty clothing in plastic trash bags.  Use luggage and or overnight bags.  Never place a child’s medication in his or her luggage.  The child's medication must given to the parent, respite parent, or other responsible adult. 

Foster Parent's Signature

Children's Sanctuary, Inc

Medication Protocol

Children’s Sanctuary accepts youth regardless of race, color, religion, handicap, or national origin 

Foster parents and CSI staff must follow this protocol at all times.  Failure to adhere to this protocol can result in endangerment of the foster child, as well as other children in the home.  Foster parents who fail to adhere to this protocol may lose their foster home license and be charged with neglect and/or abuse.

Foster Parent's Signature and Date