Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-202.12

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 10, November 13, 2024

Rule 441-202.12 - Services to parents

(1) Child welfare services shall be made available to the parents throughout the period of placement for the purpose of reuniting the family in an agreed-upon time frame. Family safety, risk, and permanency services may be provided to:

a. Promote identification and enhancement of family strengths and protective capacities;

b. Address the factors that resulted in the child's being removed from the family home; and

c. Strengthen family connections to community resources and informal supports.

(2) Placement notification.

a. The parents shall be notified of the location and nature of the child's placement, unless the conditions of this subrule are met.

(1) The department evaluates the situation and determines that notifying the child's parents of the location of the placement would be detrimental to the child's safety and well-being and to the stability of the child's placement due to:

1. Evidence of a direct or indirect threat to harm the foster child or the foster family; or

2. Credible third-party information of a threat of harm to the foster child or the foster family.

(2) The department includes a statement in the child's case permanency plan explaining the decision not to disclose the location of the child to the parents.

b. The decision not to disclose the location of a child's placement shall be reviewed at least every six months when the child's case permanency plan is revised.

(3) The case plan and treatment plan shall specify the services to be provided and the time frame for reuniting the family. These plans shall be developed in cooperation with the parents.

(4) Personal contact shall be made regularly with the parents and the progress towards goal attainment reviewed and documented in the case record. The frequency of the personal contact shall be at least monthly and shall be specified in the child's case permanency plan.

(5) When placement of a breastfeeding child is made, the service worker shall:

a. Assess in consultation with the worker's supervisor whether continued breastfeeding by the mother is in the best interest of the child;

b. Make every reasonable effort to support the mother's continued breastfeeding of the child if determined appropriate; and

c. Document the assessment and efforts in the child's case plan and case notes. This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 234.6(6) "b. "

Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-202.12

ARC 8010B, lAB 7/29/09, effective 10/1/09; ARC 9961B, lAB 1/11/12, effective 12/15/11