1. (a) A foster parent shall ensure that all snacks and meals served are nutritious, well-balanced, and in sufficient quantity to maintain good health and meet a child in care's daily dietary needs.
2. (b) A foster parent is encouraged to provide food reflecting the ethnic and cultural background of the children in care.
3. (c) A foster parent shall communicate with the caseworker concerning any food allergies or special dietary needs of each child and shall plan that child's meals accordingly.
4. (d) A foster parent must have approval of the child's caseworker and written instructions by a physician, parent, or guardian before serving nutrient concentrates, nutrient supplements, or modified diets, including therapeutic and allergy diets.

5. (e) A foster parent shall follow pediatrician recommendations for nutrition and feeding of infants. When an infant is placed in a foster home, the foster parent shall

   1. (1) when reusing bottles, bottle caps, and nipples, before reuse,

      1. (A) wash them in a dishwasher, using a long wash cycle with hot water, and a heated drying cycle; or
      2. (B) boil them in water for at least five minutes;
   2. (2) refrigerate filled bottles, if bottles are not used immediately; contents of the bottle must be discarded if not used within 20 hours;
   3. (3) obtain approval from the child's caseworker if breast milk is provided by anyone other than an infant's biological mother; and
   4. (4) ensure that infants who are at least six months of age and holding their own bottles are within observational range of an adult while feeding; a foster parent must take bottles from the child when the child finishes feeding, when the bottle is empty, or when the child falls asleep; a foster parent may not prop a bottle while feeding an infant.

(Eff. 7/1/2022, Register 242)

Authority: AS 44.30.020, AS 47.32.010, AS 47.32.030