DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce changes to the number of children allowed in a resource parent home in compliance with Family First Prevention Services Act, FFPSA. The FFPSA places a limitation of six (6) children per resource family household. Missouri Foster Family Home Licensing Rules and Children’s Division Policy are compliant with the limitation as Missouri, to be in compliance with Council on Accreditation, COA, has set the limit to 5.

In an effort to provide the most appropriate care and to maintain familial relationships, FFPSA and the Children’s Division allow an exception to the limit of 5 children in a home to accommodate the following situations:

1. To allow a parenting youth in foster care to remain with their child;
2. To allow siblings to remain together;
3. To allow a child with an established meaningful relationship with the family to remain with the family; and
4. To allow a family with special training or skills to provide care to a child who has a severe disability.

The Home Assessment process includes discussion with and the assessment of a resource parent regarding how many children the resource parent is willing and able to care for effectively and safely. The Home Assessment must include information regarding the physical standards of the home to accommodate a large sibling group and the resource parent(s) willingness as well as their parenting skills to care for a large foster sibling group as well as the other children in the home.

The decision to make an exception allowing the resource home to go over the limit of five children using one of the four considerations listed above, must be approved by the resource licensing worker and the resource licensing supervisor. The Traditional Resource Home Capacity Exception Approval Tracking Form, CD-157, must be signed by the resource licensing worker and resource licensing supervisor. The form is placed in the resource case file and a copy emailed to Central Office for tracking purposes.

Resource homes shall not be licensed for the number of total children to exceed five. The limit of five includes an accounting for the number of children of the resource parents. For example: the resource family has 2 children living in the home, therefore, the maximum capacity for foster youth placement is 3. If the family is willing, capable and has the physical capacity to accommodate a sibling group of more than 3, written approval to exceed the limit of 5 children in the home must be obtained. The request to exceed the limit of 5 will include how the resource is able to parent the large number of children in the home. When an exception to exceed five children in a home is approved, no additional children shall be placed in the home until the home is under the maximum of five.

The Current Policy of Large Family Resource Homes, LFRH, Section 6 chapter 15, is discontinued with the publication of this memorandum. Homes which are currently approved as a LFRH must be placed on Administrative Hold. No more placements may be made in the home. The home must meet the regulation requirement of 5 children in the household by April 1, 2019, or an approved CD-152 for relative providers or CD-157 for non-related resource providers for the continued care of siblings must be present in the case file.