Background Checks

See 7910 Background Check Requirements for Babysitters and Intermittent Alternate Care Providers.

Requirements and Limitations

The FAD supervisor or child placement management staff (CPMS) must ensure that a minor who is 16 years old or older, including a minor under DFPS conservatorship, meets requirements before approving the minor to serve as a babysitter for foster children under the age of 13.

The FAD supervisor or CPMS must

  •   establish limits on the number of children that a minor babysitter may care for at a time;

  •   establish limits on the duration and frequency of the babysitting, including limiting the minor to babysitting no more than eight hours a day and never babysitting overnight;

  •   verify that the minor is certified in CPR and first aid; and

  •   verify that neither the minor babysitter, nor any of the foster children under his or her care, is receiving treatment services as defined by Residential Child Care Licensing (RCCL) Minimum Standards, §749.61(2)External Link.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 40 TAC §749.2599External Link

Certification and References

The FAD worker must receive from all prospective minor babysitters, including those under DFPS conservatorship:

  •   documentation of CPR and first aid certification; and

  •   two personal or professional references.

The conservatorship (CVS) and FAD workers must jointly assess the documentation of a prospective minor babysitter who is also under DFPS conservatorship and determine whether to approve the foster child as a babysitter.

Approval

The FAD supervisor must review documentation related to the babysitter (including background checks). The FAD supervisor must determine whether to approve or deny the individual as a babysitter and document the determination in the foster family file. The prospective babysitter may only care for foster children after FAD approves him or her.

Documentation

The FAD worker must maintain documentation of a minor's references and CPR and first aid certification in the case record of the foster family for whom any minor is providing services.