FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When in doubt, ASK! Contact us at Information@connectedthroughkids.com
If we don't have the answer we will direct you to the person that does.
These are just helpful answers for frequently asked questions. It is
always best to clarify issues that you are unsure of by checking your
Foster Parent Handbook, or even call your licensing worker, as policies
and procedures can change within the County.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1) Can I take my foster child on vacation with me? The answer
is yes, in most instances, but plan ahead as you must do several things
first, depending upon where you will be going and how long you will be
gone. It is best to check with your licensing worker AND your social worker to be sure you have done everything correctly, but here are some examples:
-
If you are leaving San Diego County, but traveling to an adjoining
County, for not more than 24 hours, (i.e. Disneyland) there are no
special requirements. However it is good practice to leave a "courtesy
call" for the social worker to let them know where the child will be.
- If you are leaving the County, but will be in an adjoining County, for not more than 72 hours, you will need to notify the social worker and your licensing worker, where you will be and the dates you will be gone, in advance.
- If you are leaving San Diego County for more than 72 hours, you will need a court order
(also known as an ex-parte). This is obtained by the social worker, but
YOU need to request it. Try to give them at least a two-week notice. Be
prepared, they will ask you the exact dates and the physical address
and phone number where you will be staying. It is also a good idea to
follow up and make sure they have followed through with the request to
the court. Check back with them, before you leave, to make sure they
have followed through and you have approval to take the child with you.
You will not necessarily receive a copy of the ex-parte but the social
worker should notify you that they have received it. You then need to
notify your licensing worker of the foster child's name, the dates you
will be out of town, and the location (you can leave them a message).
When
traveling out of town, be sure to take your foster care Placement
Papers and Medical Authorization to Treat, in case of an emergency.
2. How long do I have to wait at a visit for the parents to show up?
If the parents have not shown up 20 minutes after the scheduled visit
time, then you can leave. You may want to leave a message for the
child's social worker so that they are aware of the "no-show" visit. Be
sure to document it in your Visitation Log.
3. How can I be prepared for my re-licensing visit by my licensing worker? A few things you can do to make sure you are prepared are:
-
Have your paperwork in order when they arrive. This makes your visit
smoother and quicker. Have the following items ready to show your
licensing worker for each person on the license: Valid CPR
& First Aid cards, Training Certificates verifying 8 hours of
required training for each person, and any special "Training
Certificates" for medically fragile kids.
-
Also be sure your smoke detectors are working properly, your electrical
sockets have covers, that you can show them your medicines are up high,
where your first aid kit and fire extinguisher are located and, if you
have stairs, be prepared to show that you have a gate, if asked. You
will also be asked to show bedroom layouts and sleeping arrangements,
for your foster children and your own. Bird baths, water fountains or
other bodies of water should be filled with rocks or fenced off, just
as pool requirements will be re-checked for compliance. In addition, if
you have someone new living with you, that is over the age of 18, or a
child that has turned 18 years old since your last licensing check, be
sure they have been fingerprinted.
4. What
if I cannot find a Medi-Cal provider who is able to do a medical
checkup for my newborn infant placement within the first few days, as
instructed on my hospital discharge papers? You can call Lori York, Family Nurse Practitioner
at the North County Assessment Center at (760) 598-2803. Lori can
provide your child with a physical checkup until you are able to get in
to your pediatrician. Typically, the hospital nursery will want you to
provide the name of a pediatrician, before you leave the hospital with
the baby, and you are still required to make that appointment.
Sometimes the hospital nurses will make the appointment for you, before
you leave to take the baby home.
5. Where can I get Court Forms to submit for a foster child? You
can obtain court forms and instructions to request De Facto Parent
Status (JV295, JV296 & JV299), Caregiver Information to The Court
(JV290), or Request for Prospective Adoptive Parent Designation (JV 322
& JV 321) here on this website by visiting the links below. Some of
these forms can be filled out directly online and printed out. Others
must be printed out and completed manually. We have noted this below.
You can visit the link for Juvenile Court Forms website directly for a complete listing of court forms.
Caregiver Information To The Court Form:
JV-290 (English) Fillable Form JV290 (Spanish) Imprima la forma en línea y llene lo. No puede ser llenado en línea.
De Facto Parent Request Forms:
JV-295 (English) Fillable Form JV295S (Spanish) Imprima la forma en línea y llene lo. No puede ser llenado en línea.
JV-296 (English) Fillable Form (Esta forma no está disponible en español.)
JV-299 (English) De Facto Information Pamphlet JV-299S (Spanish) De Folleto Facto de Información de Padre
Request For Prospective Adoptive Parent Designation
JV 325 (Information Pamphlet) JV-321 and JV-322 Fillable Forms (This request can only be made if biological parental rights have been terminated - Download the JV 325 Information Pamphlet or Visit the Straight From The Heart webite for more information on when you can file this form.)
If you need help completing any of these forms, please call Barbie Caldwell at (760) 716-4824 or Patty Boles at (760) 744-2240.
6. Who may I use to do respite for my foster child? The answer is one of several and depends on whether or not you intend to pay the respite provider.
- For periods of not more than 23 hours you may use the "Prudent Parent Babysitting Law"
to use babysitters who are not required to be fingerprinted by the
County. However, you need to use your prudent judgement as you are
still responsible for the child while they are not in your care. You may not use County funds to pay these providers.
-
For more than 24 hours of respite, the respite provider must be
fingerprinted and approved by the County, whether or not you will be
paying for the respite. This can be done in one of 3 ways: 1) You may
use another licensed foster care provider or 2) The respite provider is fingerprinted to your Foster Home License (fingerprints approved and in your licensing file) or
3) They are an approved respite provider through the San Diego Center
For Children, who presently administers the respite contract for the
County. Their phone number is (858) 277-9550 Ext. 300.
Note-
A licensed foster home may not exceed their license capacity while they
are performing respite for an additional foster child, for a period of
more than 24 hours. And, if your foster child is deemed "medically
fragile" then the respite provider muste be qualified to care for a
"medically fragile" child.
7. What is DSEP?
DSEP
also known as The Developmental Screening and Enhancement Program is a
multi-agency collaborative effort designed to address the developmental
and behavioral needs of children, ages 0-5 years. Every child entering
the San Diego foster care system, that falls within this age group, is
automatically referred to DSEP. Their services are provided, free of
charge. Many of their partners, such as San Diego Regional Center,
California Early Start, Rady's Childrens Hospital & Health Center
are listed individually on our Special Needs Resources page, where you can find out more information about these organizations.
8. What do I do if I leave a message for my social worker and don't get a return call?
Just
as you are expected to return calls to anyone involved in your foster
child's case in a timely manner, social workers are expected to return
call to you in the same timely manner. If you have not received a
return call within 24 hours, you should contact the social worker's
supervisor, who will either assist you or have the social worker call
you back.
9. What if I run out of the Health Visit Form or have not yet received my Health Passport that includes the Health Visit Forms?
You can download a blank Health Visit Form from our website. Click here to download the form.
Just remember to fill in the child's name and date of birth. After
your health provider completes the form, simply return it to the Health
Passport Clerk at the office where the child's case is handled.
10. What do I do if I suspect child abuse in a home? As a foster parent you are what is known as a mandated reporter. All suspicions of child abuse must be reported. Call the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-344-6000. More information on the Child Abuse Hotline can be found at http://www2.sdcounty.ca.gov/hhsa/ServiceDetails.asp?ServiceID=89
11. What if I have a friend or relative who is interested in becoming a foster parent?
Refer them to us at Connected Through Kids. We will register them for
an orientation class in their area and make sure they know what is
happening and answer any questions they may have through the entire
licensing process. Contact Barbie Caldwell at (760) 716-4824.
12. I have not yet received a reimbursement check for my foster child, who do I call?
It can take up to 45 days for you to receive your first reimbursement
check and then it should come monthly, thereafter. For questions about
foster care payments, contact your Eligibility Worker (also known as
Eligibility Technician or ET). If you do not know who is assigned to
your child's case, you can call a county number to find out. Visit our
County Contacts page to get this and other frequently needed phone numbers.