Reimbursement costs for clothing allowances may be applicable to children in traditional family foster homes and those in relative care placement settings. Purchases of initial clothing must be made during the first six months of a child’s placement into care. A child coming from another foster home must bring his or her own clothing to his or her new foster home.

The maximum amount, per child, for initial clothing, is outlined in the DFCS Field Fiscal Services Policy Manual. Approval for this clothing allowance should be received from the child’s case manager prior to making purchases that are expected to be reimbursed with funds from the initial clothing allowance and incidentals. Generally, the amount that can be reimbursed is:

$311– Birth through age 12 

$415 – Age 13 and older

An annual clothing allowance, per child, (beyond the initial clothing allowance) will be $415. This may not be claimed during the same calendar year as the initial clothing allowance. The approved rate as stated in the DFCS Field Fiscal Services Policy Manual is subject to change. For the most recent approval clothing allowances, confirm with the child’s case manager prior to making a purchase that is expected to be reimbursed.

All clothing allowances may be charged in incremental amounts or a lump sum but cannot exceed the maximum allowable amount.

If a child has unusual clothing requirements, inform your case manager; agency approval is required prior to purchasing clothing that will require additional reimbursement. Maintain all receipts and submit approved purchases with your monthly invoice.

There may be times when a foster parent pays out-of-pocket for an expense incurred on behalf of a foster child. Certain expenses may be fully reimbursed when prior approval is given. A foster parent should never assume that the agency will cover a specific expense.

For out-of-pocket expenditures incurred while caring for your foster child, the following procedures should be followed:

• Obtain permission before making the purchase to be sure it is a reimbursable expense 
• Retain all receipts for purchases and/or payments to be submitted to DFCS;make copies for yourrecords
• Attach all receipts to your monthly foster care invoice

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