Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-5-50-.07
Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024
Section 660-5-50-.07 - Worker Visits(1) The Department of Human Resources must maintain contact by visiting frequently, but not less than once a month, with children to help ensure child safety, contact with family, a good working relationship with the family and foster family, and to help maintain best case practice. (a) In on-going protective services, children should be seen by their social worker at least once a month in the child's home setting. An exception to this visitation timeframe may occur if their ISP states that visitation should be more often; OR, if a child in an on going protective services case has been assessed as not being at risk of serious harm or maltreatment.(b) Children in out-of home care should be seen by their social worker at a minimum of once a month or more often if stated in their ISP. Telephone contact with the social worker and child is encouraged but will not take the place of face to face contact. Opportunities for private discussion should be made available to the child, with their social worker, and these visits should be of substance to help the child and to help ensure the social worker's awareness of the child's well being, circumstance, and safety.(c) Children who are diagnosed as being Severely Emotionally and Behaviorally Disordered (SEBD) and are placed in treatment facilities must be visited monthly in the facility in which they are placed. Any exception to this visiting policy would require consultation and clearance with a consultant from the Office of County Systems Support.(d) Children with special health care needs who have chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions may be medically fragile. Children who are medically fragile should have a face to face visit monthly and quarterly communications/contact with health care providers are required.(e) Children who are placed in ICPC (Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children) placements in Alabama by other states must be visited in the home once a month. Children placed in other states by Alabama should be visited once a month in order to assess safety, well being and whether the placement is in the child's best interest. The Department should request that the other state's workers visit Alabama's children once a month.(f) Children who are in adoptive placements must be visited a minimum of twice during the first three (3) months after the child is placed. Best practice is for all adoptive family members to be present and for a separate interview to be conducted with the child that has been placed. Once the Interlocutory Order has been issued, two (2) more supervisory visits are required before the Final Report to the court is made.(g) Workers have an obligation to visit with parents and caregivers to help determine planning, decision making and to help ensure overall safety for the family and their children. Office visits can be convenient or helpful, but they shall not serve as a substitute for the home visit. Social workers will visit families, who are receiving on-going protective services, in their homes at least once a month or more frequently when directed by the ISP. Parents or caregivers of children who are in out-of home care with a plan of reunification will be visited on a monthly basis or more often if directed by the ISP. It is important that either reunification or other permanency plans be established within a time frame that is established by ASFA and other policy. Visiting with parents and caregivers allows this planning to take place. Author: Jerome Webb
Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-5-50-.07
New Rule: Filed October 7, 2003; effective November 11, 2003. Amended: Filed April 2, 2004; effective May 7, 2004.Statutory Authority: R. C. v. Fuller, No. 88-H-1170-N, Consent Decree (M. D. Ala. Approved December 18, 1991).