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OT but for all Foster Parents: NFPA Position Statements
History of Foster Care in the U.S. Rights of Foster Parents Code of Ethics NFPA Position Statements PLEASE NOTE: The following documents are position statements developed by NFPA representatives and voted on by the membership. Where there is historical documentation of the date, that date is included. Others may show only the year, as recorded in other documents. The documents are listed in chronological order, beginning with the most recent. * ON DISCLOSURE * ON RESPITE CARE * ON NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FOSTER CARE REVIEWERS * ON FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE IN FOSTER CARE * ON A NATIONAL STANDARD OF REIMBURSEMENT RATE * ON ADOPTION SUBSIDIES * ON THE CONCEPT OF ORPHANAGES * ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT * ON PARTICIPATION OF ALL FOSTER PARENTS AND CHILD CARE WORKERS IN FOSTER PARENT ASSOCIATIONS * ON LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR FOSTER PARENTS * ON MANDATORY TRAINING FOR FOSTER PARENTS * ON CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT ALLEGATIONS IN FOSTER/ADOPTIVE FAMILIES * ON FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION * ON VIDEO-TAPING CHILDREN'S TESTIMONY * ON FOSTER PARENT TRAINING * ON INSURANCE * ON SERVICES TO THE CHILD IN HIS OWN FAMILY * ON PLANNING FOR CHILDREN IN CARE * ON TAXATION OF PAYMENTS FOR FOSTER CARE * ON FOSTER PARENT EDUCATION * ON THE MOVEMENT OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON DISCLOSURE Where as health and safety are primary concerns in the placement of children, for the protection of the child and the care provider, it must be mandatory, that all known background information which includes medical, physical, psychological, and educational history must be disclosed prior to, and to continue through placement. Therefore the National Foster Parent Association supports legislation that would establish Federal and State Statutes to mandate such disclosures. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON RESPITE CARE The NFPA supports the development and implementation of respite care programs, with respite care providers being approved and reimbursed and compensated to care for children on a short term, temporary basis. Respite care providers shall be support families for foster families, thus providing consistent care for foster youth. The National Foster Parent Association advocates that foster parents will receive at least two days of planned respite care per month for each child placed in their home. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON National Association of Foster Care Reviewers The National Foster Parent Association Inc. recognizes and supports the mission and goals of the National Association of Foster Care Reviewers. That mission being the promotion of safe, permanent families for children in foster care. By assuring that every child in foster care receives independent, timely, culturally responsive, quality case reviews; and advocating on behalf of abused and neglected children at the case and policy levels. The National Foster Parent Association further encourages foster parents to attend and participate in the review process by providing input, advocating for the children in your care and assistance in clarifying problems or obstacles to permanency. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE IN FOSTER CARE The National Foster Parent Association's first concern is to ensure that no child suffers harm while in foster care. The Association does acknowledge that some foster parents are capable of maltreatment. Foster and adoptive families are at risk and vulnerable to charges of false allegations because they are so visible in the community. They frequently have large families, children from culturally diverse backgrounds, or children with physical and/or emotional disabilities. There is a need to care for the children but also to address the issue of protection and retention of foster and adoptive homes. Currently, an estimated 168,000 foster families are providing care for more than 743,000 children in placement across the nation and this number is steadily increasing. These children are frequently exhibiting a wide variety of behavioral problems including making false allegations of abuse toward their foster/adoptive parents. Research has shown that children who have been abused, particularly children who were sexually abused, may make false abuse allegations against subsequent parents or caregivers. It is estimated that as of 1997 there was a 1 in 8 chance of having false abuse or neglect allegations made against foster and/or adoptive parents. This number is growing and in some areas of the nation has increased by as much as 400%. The NFPA believes foster parents, upon being licensed and/or approved, should always be provided with a manual that gives specific clear directions on how allegations and investigations of abuse in foster care are handled in their agency. The manual should clearly state all applicable state laws and agency policies regarding allegations and investigations. NFPA believes foster parents, in order to function with maximum effectiveness as a part of the team, need helpful, relevant and current information, the best and most skilled agency support services, and a clear view of expectations to enable them to perform their role as competent parents. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON A NATIONAL STANDARD OF REIMBURSEMENT RATE Whereas, reimbursement for foster care is not consistent with the cost of rearing a child, and Whereas, foster parents are required to provide 100% of the needs of the child, Therefore, the National Foster Parent Association Board of Directors supports the introduction of federal legislation that would require states to make the basic foster care rate at least equal to the monthly cost of raising a child as determined by the USDA guidelines to raise a child consistent with the median income of the respective geographic region. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON ADOPTION SUBSIDIES Whereas, the environment in which families are raising children has changed dramatically in the last several years, and there are increasing threats to child safety as reflected in an increase in reports of child abuse and neglect; and Whereas, this country has over 500,000 children in foster or substitute care; and Whereas, each child in foster care must have a permanency planning goal; and Whereas, adoption is an appropriate permanency goal if reunification with the parents is not in the best interest of the child; and Whereas, this country has over 27,000 children waiting for adoption; and Whereas, many adoptive children have special needs requiring additional financial support; and Whereas, the Title IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Assistance Program has been maintained as an entitlement program; and Whereas, the federal government will continue 50 to 80 percent of foster care maintenance and adoption assistance payment; and Whereas, in addition, states can continue to receive federal reimbursements for 50 % of eligible administrative costs and 75 % of eligible training costs; Therefore, be it resolved that the National Foster Parent Association strongly supports the need for continued funding for adoption subsidies. We ask for support in the state and federal budget to continue a supportive funding program which encourages adoption and permanency in the lives of our children. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON THE CONCEPT OF ORPHANAGES Family foster care is an essential and valuable child welfare service for children who must be separated from their parents because of the tragedy of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, maltreatment, special medical needs, or other circumstances. The value of family foster care is that it can respond to the unique individual needs for children and help then grow emotionally and physically healthy and learn enduring family relationships within the structure of a nurturing family. Therefore, the National Foster Parent Association totally rejects the concept of placing children in institutions or facilities classified as "orphanages". back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT Whereas, the National Foster Parent Association would be remiss if it did not join the groundswell of public and professional protest against corporal punishment of children, in the home and in the schools, as well as the stated opposition to corporal punishment by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Child Welfare League of America, American Bar Association, and others, the assembled members of the National Foster Parent Association adopts the following position statement: Numerous studies have overwhelmingly confirmed that hitting, spanking, slapping and other forms of physical punishment are harmful methods of changing children's behavior and alternative forms of discipline are more effective, and, A workshop on violence and public health, convened by Surgeon General Koop, recommended that a major campaign be carried out, with the help of the media, to reduce the public's acceptance of violence in general and violence against children in particular, including physical punishment, and further, that the American people come to understand that corporal punishment should be abolished, and, The use of physical punishment is deeply ingrained in American society and will be difficult to eliminate, but the detrimental effects of physical punishment indicate that the time for action is immediate and urgent, The Nation Foster Parent Association adds its voice to those urging the abolition of corporal punishment of children and those efforts to heighten public awareness of other forms of discipline more effective and less damaging to the bodies and spirits of children. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON PARTICIPATION OF ALL FOSTER PARENTS AND CHILD CARE WORKERS IN FOSTER PARENT ASSOCIATIONS The National Foster Parent Association, herein referred to as NFPA, is an organization of foster parents agency representatives, and community people. We strongly feel that all foster parents should be aware of foster care issues. We also believe that the teamwork approach in foster care will improve the quality of service that children in placement receive. Local and state foster parent associations provide information to their members on foster care issues. Members of these organizations also exchange ideas and share information The teamwork approach is encouraged through continued training offered and promoted by the association. Professionalism of foster parenting is becoming a nationwide movement. The agency is beginning to recognize foster parents and associations as valuable components in providing services to children. NFPA therefore believes that service providing agencies should encourage all licensed foster parents and child care workers to actively participate in local and state foster parent associations. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR FOSTER PARENTS NFPA supports implementation of a liability and property damage insurance package to protect foster parents from liability for acts of the child in care and for suits brought by the biological parent, the child, or others arising out of the foster parent/child relationship. Foster parents are volunteers who open their doors to unknown liability each time they take a new foster child. NFPA believes that since the agency retains complete legal guardianship of these children, injuries damages and thefts against any person or property caused or committed by the agency's wards should be the agency's responsibility. NFPA strongly feels that state or local agencies should provide public and private liability coverage, including additional automobile insurance, for all foster parents. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON MANDATORY TRAINING FOR FOSTER PARENTS NFPA has learned that many foster parents in the United States lack the special skills and do not have the knowledge necessary to properly deal with the special problems that children currently being placed in foster care have. These children are more difficult, have more severe problems, and are more demanding of foster parents than in years past. NFPA believes that training is necessary to obtain the skills and acquire the knowledge to deal with these problems. Since many foster parents do not realize that training will equip them with the necessary skills and, therefore, do not avail themselves of training opportunities, NFPA supports mandatory training for all foster parents. Training should take place on three levels: 1) pre-service, 2) apprenticeship )3 ongoing. Foster parents must have a major role in determining training standards and choosing and monitoring quality training programs in each state. NFPA further supports provision of funding by federal and state governments for such training. Funds should be made available for development and implementation of comprehensive and specialized training programs for foster parents. The federal government is encourage to require those states receiving federal foster care dollars to receive them contingent upon implementing and mandating a foster parent training package as outlined above. Funding should include monies for child care and transportation costs, thus enabling foster parents to attend without suffering a financial hardship. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT ALLEGATIONS IN FOSTER/ADOPTIVE FAMILIES 1987 The National Foster Parent Association, herein referred to as NFPA, is an organization of foster parents, agency representatives. and community people. NFPA is extremely concerned about the increasing number of allegations of child abuse/ neglect among foster/adoptive parents. This problem is apparent throughout the country. Under no circumstances do we condone child abuse/neglect in any family; however, we recognize there are circumstances which make some foster/adoptive families especially vulnerable to reports of abuse/neglect and susceptible to misjudgments. These circumstances are as follows: Children who have experienced the uncertainties and insecurities of years of foster care, often with multiple moves, have been damaged in ways which affect their behavior for years. Many children who have suffered such damage have learned maladaptive or anti-social behaviors, thus are manipulative, unable to trust, lack a sense of honesty and responsibility, and are deficient in many areas of their development. Such children, due to their histories, typically behave in ways which jeopardize the security and stability of the families diligently striving to undo some of the damage of the past and to help the children develop more appropriate and socially acceptable behaviors. These children often lie and play on the responses of other adults who do not view their behaviors in the context of the children's prior experiences. Some children deliberately hurt those who offer help and try to destroy close relationships. After a sequence of adult rejections, they cannot accept that others care about or love them. It is not uncommon for the children themselves to make false reports of abuse/ neglect in an effort to control adult behavior or to deal with fears of close relationships. Foster/adoptive parents of difficult or emotionally disturbed children are often subjected to community scrutiny and suspicion that biological families do not experience. Foster/adoptive families are sometimes highly visible in their communities due to their size or composition. Many people do not understand why someone would choose to adopt/foster older children, large numbers of children, children with handicapping conditions or negative histories. Hence, they are suspicious of the parents' motives. This lack of understanding can also apply to the agencies responsible for investigations of alleged abuse/neglect. In addition, agency standards for investigations are not uniform in practice nor necessarily of high quality. Protective services workers may be untrained or inexperienced. Workers may not be familiar with the complexities of the pathologies displayed by the children and the stresses they bring to family living. The child's psychological, medical, and educational records may not be considered in an investigation. Appropriate child management techniques and therapeutic interventions may be viewed out of context by those not familiar with their purposes. Unsubstantiated charges can go unchallenged, and state standards in child abuse/ neglect investigations can result in overly subjective decisions. Due to these factors. foster/adoptive parents can be unfairly and unduly stressed. Instead of receiving support and assistance from the community, they may be forced to expend their energies on defending themselves rather than getting on with their parenting job. Parents who have foster and adopted children join with all parents in seeking acceptance and support from their communities. We share a commitment to our children and a belief in the value of family life. Above all, we seek the health and well-being of all of our children. Therefore, we support the following: 1. Increased efforts to identify child abusers/neglecters to assure that all children are safe and that their parents provide nurturing environments. 2. Increased preventive, corrective, and rehabilitative services. All parents must have continuous opportunities to learn about and improve parenting skills. Community agencies must provide ongoing and widely publicized programs. Young people must have instruction in the area of children's psychological and physical needs in order to prepare them for parenting. 3. Provision of ongoing support and educational services to parents adopting or providing foster care for children with special needs. We encourage Social Services Departments to use Preventive Services monies and resources in order to prevent the disruption of families with special needs children. 4. Higher standards for the selection of protective services workers and increased training requirements. Continuing education must be provided concerning adoptive and foster families and the behaviors presented by some adoptive and foster children. Workers must be required to include in their investigations all historical information on the child as well as testimony from knowledgeable therapists. educators, and medical resources. 5. Appropriate legislation or regulation to assure the above. Adapted from the NYS Citizens' Coalition for Children, Inc. Statement back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION Whereas quality foster parents are being under- utilized or un-utilized by child-placing agencies; and Whereas the need for foster home recruitment is at an all-time high; and Whereas the resources for recruitment are at an all-time low; Be it resolved that the National Foster Parent Association support the utilization of current licensed and/or approved foster family homes and the implementation of program and support services to current homes in order to retain the skills and quality resources of the foster family home population. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON VIDEO-TAPING CHILDREN'S TESTIMONY The National Foster Parent Association, recognizing that sexual abuse testimony in court is very traumatizing for children who are victims, supports video-taping of the child's story to allow the child to express feeling and circumstances of the abuse in a secure way. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON FOSTER PARENT TRAINING The National Foster Parent Association calls upon federal and state governments to make funds available for development and implementation of comprehensive and specialized training programs for foster parents. The federal government is encouraged to require those states receiving federal foster care dollars to receive them contingent upon the design and implementation of on-going foster parent training and education. Training should take place on three levels: (1) pre-service; (2) apprenticeship; (3) on-going. Training should be mandatory for foster mothers and foster fathers. Foster parents must have genuine decision-making power, not just an advisory capacity, in determining how training will be provided. There should be a more systematized use of experienced foster parents in helping prospective and newly licensed foster parents. All foster parents are called upon to demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism in establishing training standards in each state, and choosing and monitoring quality training programs, and should have a major role in these processes. All workers and agency personnel are challenged to work with foster parents in advocacy for and establishment of a model of professional development which will utilize the skills of experienced foster parents, and demonstrate that "teamwork" is a reality. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON INSURANCE The NFPA supports implementation of a liability and property damage insurance package to protect foster parents from liability for acts of the child in care and for suits brought by the biological parent, the child, or others, arising out of the foster parent/child relationship. Such insurance should be effective when other liability insurance coverage does not apply. Reimbursement for such insurance should be made by the placement agency. In the absence of insurance, the NFPA would support the passage of good samaritan legislation to protect foster parents. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON SERVICES TO THE CHILD IN HIS OWN FAMILY The NFPA advocates the best level of protection services i.e., those services provided to the child and his family to present placement. It supports all aspects of service planning and delivery which maintain, protect and enable the child to remain with his own family. It supports and advocates a high quality of supportive and educative supervision of line staff serving, investigating and making recommendation for removal and admission to in-family placement. NFPA supports the point of view that placement portends much for the child in the midst of family crisis, thus the decision should not be made unilaterally; it should be a decision made and situation verified by the line staff person in consultation with the agency supervisor(s). back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON PLANNING FOR CHILDREN IN CARE The NFPA advocates a written plan for each child or youth for whom placement in foster family care is the treatment of choice. It affirms and supports the practice of sharing this plan with the caregivers Ð the foster parents to assist them in moving the plan toward the goal and maximizing the effectiveness of the foster family in their role. It supports periodic, if not continuous, review of the plan with the placement triad: the child or youth, the birth parents, and the foster family. It supports internal and external monitoring to accomplish the planned goals. The NFPA advocates permanent planning as a process, seeing this method as a necessary route to prevent drift while in care. It subscribes to and supports the practice of full involvement of the birth parents, the foster parents, and the child in all facets of decision-making related to permanent planning to insure and enable early, appropriate, and informed agency activity in behalf of the child. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON TAXATION OF PAYMENTS FOR FOSTER CARE The NFPA advocates that IRS recognize that payments made to foster parents for children in their care, where paid by a pre-determined formula for all children of similar nature, to all foster parents as a class, constitute maintenance payments based on a pre-determined status and as such cannot constitute income, regardless of variation between states in amounts of payments. Even where there are additional payments to foster parents for special-needs children, where payments are uniform for all children in that category these payments cannot constitute income. Only where payments are made to foster parents for special skills and services above those of parenting can such pro-rated amount be construed as income. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON FOSTER PARENT EDUCATION This section has been retracted and is being revised/updated by committee Currently, an estimated 125,000 foster families are providing care for more than 525,000 children in placement across the nation. These children are and will be exhibiting a variety of problems which may be beyond the skills of persons without special knowledge. In the opinion of NFPA, and supported by national standard-setting agencies, public and voluntary agencies, and many foster parent organizations, the foster parents need and should receive education and training opportunities to enable them to function as part of the team to benefit and serve the placed child. The NFPA believes foster parents, in order to function with maximum effectiveness as a part of the team, need the most helpful and pertinent information, the best and most skilled agency support services, and a clear view of expectations for their role. While no particular education and training model is subscribed to in this statement, the NFPA believes all effective plans or models to enhance foster parents' skills have components in common which provide a continuum of learning opportunities. The continuum of services and education/training opportunities should be planned cooperatively by the placing agency and experienced foster parents. This continuum of parent development opportunities should have three phases, with all three phases mandatory for agencies and foster parents alike. This expectation should be clearly set forth in initial contacts with candidates. back to top NFPA POSITION STATEMENT ON THE MOVEMENT OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE Children are traumatized by separation and loss. Since children in the foster care system have already experienced trauma, special care must be taken by service providers not to compound it. The attachments children form with their parents and other caregivers should be recognized and respected. Children in foster care often develop strong attachments to their foster parents, at times these are as strong as the bonds they have with their biological parents. The younger the child and the longer the placement, the greater the impact of moving that child from the foster parents whom the child has become attached. It is sometimes necessary to move a child because of imminent danger. However, moving a child from a successful foster care placement should be done only as a last resort, after support and services have been offered to the child and family to prevent the move. If a child must be moved, there should always be a transition plan for the child, developed with the child's age and attachment needs in mind, as well as the depth of the child's attachment to the foster parents and foster siblings. This section has been retracted and is being revised/updated by committee PRE-SERVICE ORIENTATION In the course of study all foster parent candidates should receive a minimum of eight hours orientation covering all aspects of agency philosophy and administrative policies, procedures and practices as concern the parties to placement planning and service Ð foster parents, biological parents and agency personnel. Other issues addressed in the orientation should be separation and grieving, working with the birth parent, and working as part of the team. The orientation can be provided in groups or individually, depending on the number of candidates being processed by an agency at a given point, but in all instances the orientation should be completed prior to the first placement. This orientation should be supported by manual materials, contracts, agreements or such other paper as clearly sets down all mutual expectations in the foster parent-agency partnership. Whatever the means and methods, this phase should familiarize foster parent candidates with all facets of practice and performance expectations for persons in the role of foster parents to children to be placed by the agency. This section has been retracted and is being revised/updated by committee AGENCY SUPPORT SERVICES (SUPERVISION) Agency support services, commonly called supervision, are contacts with the foster family which begin at the point of approval of the home for use. They are an extension of the orientation learning experience and are the hub on which the foster parent-agency partnership turns. In the opinion of NFPA, these contacts cannot be delegated, abridged or ignored by either foster parents or agency personnel. Such person-to-person contacts support and facilitate foster parents' efforts, define plans, and provide accountability in terms of the agency mission for the child and family in a specific placement. This partnership implementation should be skillful, helpful, based in mutual respect, and may be on a group or individual basis, whichever basis is suggested by the needs of the child in care. The contacts should reflect a high level of communication and cooperation between members of the team and should in all ways expand and enhance foster parents' efforts for this child as well as all other children who might be placed later. This section has been retracted and is being revised/updated by committee IN-SERVICE PARENT DEVELOPMENT While agencies will focus on important generalities and specifics in Phases I and II, NFPA believes foster parents should have learning opportunities available to broaden their skills in working with and their knowledge of all children, especially children in foster care. These supplementary and developmental learning opportunities, jointly planned by placement agencies and foster parents, should be available throughout the period foster parents are affiliated with an agency and foster parents should be expected to participate as stipulated in the original agreement with the agency. In planning and implementation, the learning opportunities for foster parents should be pertinent, reasonably convenient for participation, and of sufficient variety to benefit foster parents serving children with a variety of needs. A broad-based education and training plan should include courses, special subject matter, workshops and seminars, conference attendance, recognition events, and group and/or individual opportunities for parent development. The foster parents should have some selection in completing the agreed-upon annual hours of participation. The NFPA supports advance planning on an annual or biannual basis to enable participation of foster parents without jeopardizing or intruding upon family responsibilities. The funding for such in-service parent development programs should be the province of the planners, and the use of all available resources should be encouraged. The NFPA supports the inclusion of statements of support of foster parent learning and development opportunities in all statements of standard-setting and regulatory agencies. The above section has been retracted and is being revised/updated by committee back to top Disclaimer | Site Index | Contact Us |
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PopInJay wrote: History of Foster Care in the U.S. Rights of Foster Parents Code of Ethics |
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