The following steps must be taken at the time of placement in order to facilitate an initial out-of-home placement with an unlicensed relative provider:

1. Before placing the foster youth with a relative foster care provider, the Children’s Service Worker must inform them of their role and responsibilities including the following:
   1. Their duties, rights, and role as an out-of-home placement provider;
   2.  Provide a written notification of their rights, and a copy of the Foster Parent Bill of Rights, RSMo 210.566;
   3.  Full access to the child’s medical, psychological, and psychiatric records in its possession, including reports prior to the child coming into care;
   4.  Continued full access to all records that come into the possession of the division or of which the division becomes aware;
   5.  Access shall include providing information and authorization for relative provider to review or to obtain the records directly from the medical, psychological, or psychiatric services provider;
   6. Relative Provider may decline access to any or all of the child’s records;
   7. Financial assistance, benefits, and services available to support the foster youth’s placement;
   8. The licensure process including how long it will take, what is required, and the benefits of licensure;
   9. The juvenile court process and options;
   10. The permanency planning process including their membership on the Family Support Team, FST;
   11. Signed SS-6 for all household members which is needed to contact references and share information with the FST; and
   12. Support services, including training, available through CD and community resources.
2. Determine whether the parent(s) of the foster youth approve of the relative as a potential placement provider.  
3. If the placement is with a grandparent, parental approval is not needed per RSMo 210.305;
4. If the placement is with a relative, parental approval is not needed per RSMo 210.565.
5. Determine the relationship of the foster youth to the potential provider.
6. Complete the Resource Home and Safety Checklist, CS-45, to determine that the environment is safe.
7. Prior to placing a child(ren) in a relative resource home that will exceed the capacity limits, workers shall:
   1. Assess relative caregivers’ parenting skill level and ability to assure safety for these additional children.
   2. Identify all supports and resources needed to meet the needs of the child(ren) and relative caregivers in maintaining safety and stability of the placements.
   3. Assess all vulnerabilities of the child(ren) due to age, developmental disabilities, complex medical or behavioral needs, mental health, or other special needs as a result of their trauma history.
   4. Consider factors which may impact the capacity of the relative to meet each child’s overall care such as; financial hardship, availability of child care, reliable and available transportation, caregiver health, employment and existing family stressors.
   5. Discuss and document in detail each of these factors on the CD-152.
   6. The CD-152 is to be sent to Central Office for review and consideration of approval for placement.
   7. Approval must be obtained from Central Office prior to placement of any additional children in the home or within 3 business days if emergency placement was approved by a supervisor or above.
   8. Central Office will respond to waiver consideration within 3 business days of receipt.
8. Obtain information regarding the potential provider including: name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, address and telephone number.
9. Complete background checks.
   1. The CA/N report may be obtained by accessing local county office computers or by calling the Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline. Staff will conduct child abuse and neglect background checks in every state where each household member 17 years of age and older has resided during the past five (5) years per Adam Walsh Protection and Safety Act. The search can be conducted by accessing the List of Contacts for Other States Child Abuse and Neglect Registries. This list includes the contact and the process to make the request for every state.
   2. Per Statute 210.482, RSMo, a CA/N and criminal record check shall be completed for all adult household members over the age of 17, or those under the age of 17 who have ever been certified as an adult and been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to any crime. The Division will request that a local or state law enforcement agency or juvenile officer immediately conduct a Purpose Code X, name-based criminal history record check to include full orders of protection and outstanding warrants of each person over the age of 17 residing in the home by using the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System (MULES) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) to access records maintained by the FBI.
   3. After the name-based search has been conducted and the foster youth has been placed with the relative family, all household members age 17 and older must submit fingerprints to the Highway Patrol to be used to search the criminal history. The fingerprint authorization letter of Purpose Code X inquiry, CD26-f, shall be provided to the resource provider with the correct registration number for the circuit in the place indicated on the letter. The fingerprints must be obtained within 15 days of the requested name-based check as required for a Purpose Code X inquiry. If the placement is not made, the worker must contact the law enforcement entity that conducted the check and report that the placement was not made. Results of the fingerprint checks will be provided to the Children’s Division office that made the request:
   4. Any foster youth placed in a relative home shall be removed immediately if any person residing in the home fails to provide fingerprints after being requested to do so.
   5. If the placement of a foster youth is denied as a result of the name-based criminal check, and the denial is contested, the relative provider has 15 business days to submit fingerprints to the Highway Patrol through the Children’s Division. The cost of fingerprinting shall be paid by the state.
   6.  Check Case.net
   7. Check the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s sexual offender list by household address. Enter the address of residence of the resource home at the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s sexual offender list located on the web at: https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/PatrolDivisions/CRID/SOR/SORPage.html This search will determine if a sexual offender is registered as residing at the resource home address.

Related Subject: Section 6 Chapter 3 Subsection 1 for instructions on CA/N checks, fingerprinting, Case net and Family Care Safety Registry

Related Subject: Section 7 Chapter 34 Laws Relating to Custody, Placement and Visitation of Children under the Jurisdiction of Juvenile Court

Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 01-31-07)

CS03-32, CD04-79, CD05-80, CD06-37, CD06-46, CD06-75

Memoranda History:

CD07-36, CD07-65, CD08-55, CD10-61, CD10-102, CD11-88, CD12-30, CD12-31, CD12-88, CD14-09, CD14-27, CD16-18, CD17-15, CD17-42, CD18-16, CD18-39, CD20-20