6002 RESOURCE PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES

6002.1 A resource parent shall:

1. (a) Provide parental supervision and guidance appropriate to the foster child's age and developmental, physical, emotional, and educational level;
2. (b) Provide daily essentials required for the health, comfort, and good grooming of a foster child, including:
3. (1) A nutritionally balanced diet adequate for the foster child's needs in growth and development;
4. (2) Adequate shelter; and
5. (3) Clothing proper for the season that is clean, fits the foster child comfortably, and is appropriate for the foster child's age and gender expression;
6. (c) Involve the foster child in household activities, family vacations, and celebrations;
7. (d) Establish clear expectations for and limits on behavior, understand and deal with negative behavior in a positive way, and reward good behavior;
8. (e) Abide by the rules on discipline and behavior management as set forth in § 6018;
9. (f) Encourage and support the foster child's well-being and development through participation in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities;
10. (g) Provide, arrange, or coordinate with the agency to provide transportation to and from normal daily activities, including school, appointments, sports, family visitation, social, religious, ethnic, and cultural events, and other appointments as necessary and as set forth in the foster child's case plan;
11. (h) Help the foster child cope with the anxiety of being away from his or her family, and promote the child's self-esteem and positive self-image;
12. (i) Be sensitive to and respect the foster child's individual needs, tastes, and values, and support the foster child's religious beliefs and cultural customs;

(j) Participate in and support the foster child's educational process;

(k) Participate in and support the foster child's mental, physical, and dental health care, and request and maintain a copy of a record from each health care visit;

(l) Have a plan for the substitute care and supervision of each foster child when the resource parent is absent from the home on a regular basis, such as for employment, by a:

(1) Resource parent licensed in the jurisdiction in which substitute care is provided;

(2) Day care provider licensed in the jurisdiction in which substitute care is provided;

(3) Back-up caregiver approved by the agency; or

(4) Extended caregiver approved by the agency;

(m) Use babysitters:

(1) Who are sixteen (16) years of age or older;

(2) On an occasional or infrequent basis;

(3) For a reasonable amount of time considering the age and level of functioning of the foster child; and

(4) For no longer than eight (8) hours at a time without the prior approval of the agency;

(n) Utilize only substitute caregivers and babysitters in whom the resource parent has confidence that the person can appropriately care for the foster child considering:

(1) The age and level of maturity of the babysitter or substitute caregiver;

(2) The number of children being cared for by the babysitter or substitute caregiver; and

(3) The age and developmental level of the foster child and any other children being cared for by the babysitter or substitute caregiver;

(o) Maintain the confidentiality of information about the foster child and the foster child's family in accordance with § 6023;

(p) Transmit information about the foster child or the foster child's family only in accordance with subsection (y)(3) below and § 6023;

((q) Notify the agency immediately of any change or anticipated change for the resource parent or within the foster home concerning:

(1) Employment;

(2) Child care arrangements;

(3) Composition of the household;

(4) Finances;

(5) Residence;

(6) Mobile or landline number;

(7) Email address;

(8) Health status;

(9) Relationship status;

(10) Sleeping arrangements that may impact any household member including the foster child; or

(11) Any other change which may affect the stability of the foster home or of the foster child's placement in the foster home;

(r) Notify and receive prior approval from the agency for any overnight trips of more than one hundred (100) miles from the District of Columbia involving a foster child;

(s) Give at least ten (10) business days' notice to the agency when requesting removal of a foster child except in circumstances that are critical to the health and safety of the foster child or other household member;

(t) Immediately report to CFSA and the agency any suspected incident of child abuse or neglect;

1. (u) Notify CFSA and the agency of any criminal charges, investigations, or findings related to any crime alleged to have been committed by the foster parent or a household member;
2. (v) Keep the agency aware of the foster child's development and adjustment;
3. (w) Participate in decision-making, case-planning, case reviews, and permanency planning for the child in care;
4. (x) Work as a team member in assessing a foster child's strengths and needs and in implementing the foster child's case plan;
5. (y) A foster parent, in accordance with a foster child's case plan, shall:
6. (1) Assist the agency in maintaining and improving the foster child's relationship with her or his family, and support this relationship by helping with family visits, which may include visits in the foster home;
7. (2) Maintain an attitude of respect and understanding towards the foster child's parents and family;
8. (3) Tell the foster child's parents about events and happenings in the foster child's daily life; and
9. (4) Serve as a role model for the foster child's parents;
10. (z) Assist in preparing the foster child to achieve his or her permanency plan and any move from the foster home;
11. (aa) Work with the agency to make every effort to avoid placement disruptions;
12. (bb) Work with service providers, when appropriate, to ensure the service needs are being met for the foster child;
13. (cc) Participate in training required and approved by the agency;
14. (dd) Maintain the standards of foster care required by this chapter of the DCMR; and
15. (ee) Prohibit smoking in the foster home, in a motor vehicle being used to transport a foster child, or in the presence of the foster child.

6002.2 A resource parent may not provide care for an adult household member who needs assistance with at least three (3) activities of daily living unless:- (a) CFSA has determined in writing that the care of the foster child is not affected; and

- (b) The care is for either a relative of the resource parent, or a current or former foster child who is eighteen (18) years of age or older, or another adult with whom the resource parent has close personal or emotional ties.6002.3 A resource parent may not provide child day care unless:- (a) CFSA has determined in writing that the resource parent has the physical and emotional strength to be responsible for the day care of one (1) or more children, in addition to what is needed for the care and supervision of each foster child in the home;

- (b) CFSA has determined in writing that the foster home has adequate space to care for a foster child in addition to the space utilized for the child day care; and

- (c) The resource parent is licensed to provide day care in accordance with the applicable jurisdiction's laws and regulations.6002.4 Nothing is this chapter shall be construed to preclude a foster parent from permitting a foster child to visit with the foster parent's family or friends.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 48 DCR 6617 (July 27, 2001); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 65 DCR 3642 (April 6, 2018); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 71 DCR 002859 (March 15, 2024).