1. (a)

   1. (1) Because families’ success depends on community involvement, Division of Children and Family Services volunteers are an integral part of the child welfare system working to improve outcomes for children and families.
   2. (2) Division of Children and Family Services volunteers may serve in a variety of capacities based on their interests, skill level, and training.
   3. (3) Regardless of the role volunteers may play, all volunteers are responsible for ensuring the proper care, treatment, safety, and supervision of the children they serve.
   4. (4) Volunteers must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age with the exception of stipend and nonstipend interns who must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

2. (b)

   1. (1) A county office volunteer designee will be established in each Division of Children and Family Services county office to assist and support local volunteers.

   2. (2) The Division of Children and Family Services Statewide Volunteer Coordinator in the Central Office will help:

      1. (A) Process volunteer applications; and
      2. (B) Provide technical assistance to local county office and volunteer designees.
   3. (3) The Division of Children and Family Services Statewide Volunteer Coordinator will also serve as the direct point of contact for community organizations that recruit volunteers to then support Division of Children and Family Services activities.

3. (c)

   1. (1) Community organizations (e.g., The CALL, Project Zero, etc.) that recruit their own volunteers to then provide assistance to Division of Children and Family Services staff and clients also play a vital role in supporting children and families and are valued Division of Children and Family Services partners.
   2. (2) Each community organization liaison will be responsible for submitting all required background checks and other application materials for their agency volunteers to the Division of Children and Family Services Statewide Volunteer Coordinator.
   3. (3) After the background check results have been received and approved by the Division of Children and Family Services, the Community Organization Liaison will also be responsible for updating these background checks every two (2) years for those individuals who continue to serve as volunteers for that agency.

4. (d)

   1. (1) All prospective volunteers who have direct and unsupervised contact with children must be cleared through:

      1. (A) The Child Maltreatment Central Registry; and
      2. (B) A Division of Arkansas State Police criminal record check.
   2. (2) The Division of Children and Family Services will request any other state where the prospective volunteer has resided in the preceding five (5) years to check its child abuse and neglect registry, if available, and in the person’s state of employment, if different, for reports of child maltreatment, if available.
   3. (3) Any prospective volunteer who has not lived in Arkansas continuously for the past five (5) years must also clear a Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint-based criminal background check.
   4. (4) A vehicle safety check (i.e., driving record) and a copy of proof of auto insurance are also required for all prospective volunteers who will have direct and unsupervised contact with children and other clients.
   5. (5) Once a volunteer is approved, all background checks will be run every two (2) years thereafter as long as an individual remains a volunteer with the Division of Children and Family Services.
5. (e) Volunteers who will not have direct contact with children and clients are not required to complete background checks.

6. (f)

   1. (1) All volunteers will:

      1. (A) Maintain confidentiality of children and families served by the Division of Children and Family Services; and
      2. (B) Sign a confidentiality agreement to this effect.
   2. (2) Confidentiality applies to verbal, written, and/or electronic transmittal of information.
   3. (3) Volunteers will not have unsupervised access to CHRIS.

7. (g)

   1. (1) Volunteers will be supervised by an appropriate staff person.
   2. (2) A volunteer who works unsupervised and substitutes as staff must meet the qualifications required for a paid employee in that position.
8. (h) Volunteers not serving in a foster or adoptive capacity are required to earn at least five (5) hours of continuing education hours each year following the completion of their first year of volunteer service.
9. (i) Volunteers approved by the Department of Human Services to transport children in foster care or department clients or to supervise visits at the request of the department shall not be liable to the children in foster care, department clients, or the parents or guardians of children in foster care for injuries to the children or clients caused by the acts or omissions of a volunteer unless the acts or omissions constitute malicious, willful, wanton, or grossly negligent conduct.

10. (j)

    1. (1) An approved volunteer who performs home studies without compensation shall have immunity from liability as provided for state officers and employees.
    2. (2) While a home study volunteer may be recruited through any organization operating under a memorandum of understanding with the department for the completion of home studies, only the department will approve the home study volunteer.

11. (k)

    1. (1) If at any point during the volunteer application and assessment process the Division of Children and Family Services determines that an applicant does not meet the standards or any other criteria for a Division of Children and Family Services volunteer, then the Division of Children and Family Services will deny approval of the volunteer.
    2. (2) If at any time during the course of an approved volunteer’s service with the Division of Children and Family Services it is determined that the volunteer poses a risk to children, then the Division of Children and Family Services will terminate the volunteer’s services immediately.

12. (l)

    1. (1) In the interest of providing stability for children and families, the Division of Children and Family Services recruits relatives and fictive kin as volunteers for their specific family members.
    2. (2) Relative and fictive kin applicants must be cleared through the Child Maltreatment Central Registry and through a Division of Arkansas State Police criminal record check as well as meet driving requirements established by the Division of Children and Family Services.
    3. (3) The Division of Children and Family Services will request any other state where the prospective volunteer has resided in the preceding five (5) years to check its child abuse and neglect registry, if available, and in the person’s state of employment, if different, for reports of child maltreatment, if available.

13. (m)

    1. (1) If approved, these relative and fictive kin volunteers:

       1. (A) Are available to provide transportation for their family members; and
       2. (B) Will not be allowed to participate as a volunteer for the Division of Children and Family Services in any other manner.
    2. (2) Because the relative and fictive kin volunteers will serve in a case-specific role, the Division of Children and Family Services will make exceptions to the volunteer application process, such as completing only the necessary background check forms rather than the entire volunteer packet, to expedite the availability of the relative and fictive kin volunteers to provide services for their family members.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "04/2018"