Role of the Child’s Caseworker

Within 10 calendar days after the child’s initial placement, the child’s caseworker must do all of the following:

• Complete the Foster Care Assistance Application in IMPACT and submit it to the foster care eligibility specialist.
• Send the following documentation to the foster care eligibility specialist:
  • A copy of the court order designating DFPS as the child’s managing conservator.
  • A copy of the affidavit and original petition that initiated the court action, with the date that the petition was filed indicated on the petition.
  • Documentation of the child’s birth, if obtained from the family. If not obtained at removal, the foster care eligibility specialist completes an inquiry in the DSHS system for children born in Texas, as stated in 1512 Determining Eligibility.
  • Documentation of the child’s citizenship or immigration status.

Foreign-born children may also have legal immigration standing in the United States or have dual citizenship status in the United States and another country. For a foreign-born child, the caseworker must request that the parent or caretaker provide proof of the child’s immigration status. If the caseworker has trouble doing so, he or she must consult with the designated regional immigration specialist.

If the Child Does Not Have a Social Security Number

If the child’s caseworker determines that the child has never had a Social Security number (SSN) issued by the Social Security Administration, the child’s caseworker must do the following:

• Complete the Social Security Administration’s Form SS-5 Application for a Social Security Card.
• Coordinate with the regional Supplemental Security Income (SSI) coordinator and other regional staff to process the request for an SSN.

The SSI coordinator or eligibility specialist must send the SSN to the caseworker when it is received.