Ariz. Admin. Code § 21-6-306

Current through Register Vol. 31, No. 2, January 10, 2025

Section R21-6-306 - Supervisory Responsibilities

A. A foster parent shall commit the time necessary to provide each foster child with care and supervision in accordance with licensing requirements and based on the child's age, developmental level, and maturity.

B. A foster parent shall implement the alternative supervision plan, as prescribed by R21-6-331, or R21-6-332 as applicable, if the foster parent must leave any of the following foster children in the care of another person:

1. Medically complex child,

2. Child receiving therapeutic foster care, or

3. Child diagnosed with a developmental disability.

C. For routine child care of a foster child or unless prescribed in subsection (B), a foster parent shall have arrangements approved by the Child Placing Agency and the licensing agency. For the purpose of this subsection, "routine care" refers to care that is recurrent and predictable, including preschool, after school care, or care that allows the foster parent to attend recurring activities.

D. Except as prescribed in subsections (B) and (C), a foster parent may independently select an adult to provide short-term care or supervision that is not routine. For the purpose of this Section, "short-term" means a time period that does not exceed 24 hours in a nonemergency and does not exceed 72 hours in an emergency.

1. A foster parent shall use careful and sensible judgment in selecting an adult to provide short-term care or supervision for a foster child and shall ensure that the adult has the ability to meet the specific needs of a foster child.

2. Before leaving a foster child with an adult to provide short-term care or supervision, a foster parent shall provide the adult with:

a. Information about the child's behavioral health, medical, or physical condition that is necessary for the adult to provide care;

b. Medication prescribed to be administered to the child, and any relevant instructions for the administration of the medication; and

c. Emergency information for contacting the child's physician, the Child Placing Agency, the licensing agency, and the foster parent.

3. The foster parent shall notify the licensing agency and obtain approval from the Child Placing Agency before the short-term care exceeds:

a. Twenty-four hours in a nonemergency situation. Examples of a nonemergency situation include going out to dinner, running errands, grocery shopping, and participation in a special training activity.

b. Seventy-two hours in an emergency situation. Examples of an emergency situation include a death in the family, serious illness of a family member, and foster parent illness.

E. A foster parent shall use careful and sensible judgment:

1. To protect each foster child from harm and teach the foster child to manage risks as permitted by the child's age, developmental level, and maturity; and

2. In determining when additional help or support is needed to ensure the health, well-being, and educational needs of a foster child.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R21-6-306

New section made by exempt rulemaking at 21 A.A.R. 3479, effective 1/24/2016.