1. (a) The Family Service Worker will:

   1. (1) Ask the parent or parents or legal guardian or guardians from whom custody was removed to provide information on appropriate relatives to include, as available (if not already provided):

      1. (A) The names, addresses, and phone numbers of any relatives who may be placement resources for the child; and
      2. (B) The names, addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying information on any putative father or fathers of the child;
   2. (2) If appropriate relatives cannot be identified or are otherwise not able to serve as a placement resource, ask the parent or parents or legal guardian or guardians from whom custody was removed to provide information on appropriate fictive kin to include, as available (if not already provided), the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any fictive kin who may be placement resources for the child;
   3. (3) Interview the child, if age appropriate, to assess how the child may feel about placement with a specific relative or fictive kin;
   4. (4) Complete the home study, to include Child Maltreatment Central Registry checks, Division of Arkansas State Police criminal background checks, and vehicle safety (DMV) program checks on all applicable household members, on the relative or fictive kin and submit to the FSW supervisor for review and approval;
   5. (5) Based on the results of the background checks listed above, request any necessary Division of Children and Family Services policy waivers;
   6. (6) If the FSW supervisor approval is attained, submit the home study to the court with the recommendation to place the child with the relative or fictive kin so that the relative or fictive kin may obtain legal temporary custody;
   7. (7) Open a protective services case on the child if the court grants temporary custody to the relative or fictive kin;
   8. (8) Schedule a staffing within thirty (30) days of opening the protective services case;

   9. (9)

      1. (A) Invite the child’s parents, relatives, the child (if age appropriate) and community providers as appropriate.
      2. (B) During the staffing these individuals will determine the permanency goal for the child:

2. (i) Reunification;

   1. (ii) Adoption;

      1. (iii) Guardianship;

         1. (iv) Permanent custody with the relative; or
         2. (v) APPLA;
   2. (10) Complete or update the FAST within thirty (30) days of opening the protective services case and submit to the FSW Supervisor for review and approval;
   3. (11) Develop or update the case plan within thirty (30) days of opening the protective services case and submit to the FSW Supervisor for review and approval;
   4. (12) Complete the permanency planning hearing court report and submit to the FSW Supervisor for review and approval;
   5. (13) After receiving approval from the FSW Supervisor for the permanency planning hearing court report, submit to the Office of Chief Counsel attorney within fourteen (14) days prior to any permanency planning hearing scheduled for the case;
   6. (14) Submit the permanency planning hearing court report to the Office of Chief Counsel, CASA, and all parties no later than fourteen (14) days before the scheduled permanency planning hearing;
   7. (15) Hold staffings, as needed, in accordance with 9 CAR § 40-506, case staffings, and update the FAST;
   8. (16) Invite the Adoption Specialist to the staffing when appropriate; and
   9. (17) Conduct a staffing to discuss closure when appropriate.

3. (b) The FSW Supervisor will:

   1. (1) Review and approve the home study;
   2. (2) Review and approve the FAST within thirty (30) days of the FSW opening the protective services case;
   3. (3) Review and approve the case plan within the thirty (30) days of the FSW opening the protective services case;
   4. (4) Review and approve the permanency planning hearing court report prior to the FSW’s submission of this report to the Office of Chief Counsel attorney; and

   5. (5) Conference with and support the FSW on the case as necessary.

      1. (c) The Adoption Specialist will:
   6. (1) Attend staffings when invited; and
   7. (2) Keep his or her Adoption Supervisor informed of the child’s permanency goal and progress toward that goal.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "01/2020"