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North Carolina General Statute 131D-10, Article 1A sets forth the State’s authority and control over child placing and child-care. It is through this law that the State’s role and responsibility to protect children in out of home care is specified. This law also specifies that the Social Services Commission is delegated the authority to promulgate minimum licensure standards for family foster homes, residential child-care and child placing. Minimum licensure standards are therefore established to provide protection to four parties--the child, his parents, the person giving substitute care and the agency providing placement services. In order to provide family foster care or operate a residential child care facility, compliance with minimum licensure standards must be demonstrated, a license issued and maintained.
Minimum licensure standards serve as a baseline of acceptable substitute care and thus reflect the level at which the public will accept and support basic protection of children in out-of-home care. Licensure also serves as a means to establish a process to raise the minimum level of care through education, consultation and community interpretation. The Department of Health and Human Services has delegated the responsibility for the licensure of family foster homes and residential child-care facilities to the Division of Social Services, Children’s Services staff.
Standard FP# 58: A child in the custody or placement responsibility of an agency shall be placed in a foster home or facility licensed by the State or in another placement approved by the juvenile court.
1. Family Foster Home means a place of residence of a family, person or persons licensed to provide full time foster care services to children under the supervision of a county department of social services or a licensed private child placing agency, and which meets the regulations regarding family foster home capacity set forth in Rule .0602.
2. Agency means a county department of social services or a private child placing agency that is duly authorized by law to receive children for purposes of placement in family foster homes or adoptive homes.
3. A therapeutic foster home means a family foster home where in addition to the provision of foster care services, the foster parent has received appropriate training in providing care to children with behavioral mental health or substance abuse problems under the supervision of a county department of social services, area mental health authority or child placing agency, and which meets the regulations regarding capacity set forth in Rule .0602.
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For questions or clarification on any of the policy contained in these manuals, please contact your local county office. |
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