From: mancinis@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Steven Mancini)
Newsgroups: misc.legal
Subject: Foster Care Survey: Respondents NEEDED...
Date: 8 Apr 92 17:16:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.44453
Distribution: in
Organization: Political Science 524 Group Project

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|  Dear Readers:							  |
| 	The following survey has been devised to compliment recent 	  |
| research collected regarding the Foster Care services within the State  |
| of Indiana. If you have any experience or knowledge concerning this     |
| topic and wish to contribute, please take a few moments to complete  	  |
| this survey and return it to the email address above. Currently we      |
| have made arrangements to meet with several government officials 	  |
| regarding this topic, but we would like to include those people	  |
| involved on a more personal basis, i.e. people who were raised by	  |
| by foster parents, people who are foster parents, etc. Anyone is        |
| welcome to complete this survey...					  |
|  	To those who reply, let me take this opportunity to thank you	  |
| in advance.								  |
|						-Steve Mancini		  |
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				QUESTIONAIRE

Purpose: To acquire practical knowledge concerning Foster Care in Indiana
	 to augment literature reviews for an oral presentation as well
         as written submission.

Description:
	The below survey employs a Likert Scale which allows the respondent
	to express their feelings toward the following statements. Prior
	to each set of statements is a brief synopsis of current policy
	regarding the questions. This is provided to add information 
	for the respondent and should not be used to bias your answers.
	There is no wrong/correct answer. The information is merely 
	provided for those who may need it. One final note, all responses
        shall be kept *confidential* and no names shall be included in
        any of the subsequent presentations.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- QUESTIONS -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Currently the Department of Children and Family Services requires that 
all Foster Parents complete at least forty (40) hours of training within
a year of the issuance of their license...

1. This is an adequate amount of training time.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

2. This amount of training time should be INCREASED.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

3. This amount of training time should be DECREASED.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

4. Foster Parents should be required to complete their forty hours of 
   training PRIOR to the placement of children within their home.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

..........................................................................

	The Department of Children and Family Services is required to visit
the children in Foster Care at least once every three (3) months...

5. This is adequate enough to supervise children in Foster Care.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

6. The Department should INCREASE their number of visits.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

7. The Department should DECREASE their number of visits.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

..........................................................................









	At the present, foster parents are NOT required to undergo any 
psychological screening in order to be foster parents...

8. Psychological screening would provide for more qualified foster 
   parents.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

9. Foster parents should be licensed without any psychological screening.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

10. If psychological screening was inacted, certain personality disorders
   should limit a person from becoming a foster parent.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

11. The MMPI (A psychological examination) would be an adequate method
   of screening potential Foster Parents

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

.........................................................................

	Currently the Department of Children and Family Services in
Tippecanoe County pays $14.00 per day for a child in foster care.

12. This is an adequate rate to provide for children in foster care.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

13. This rate attracts qualified foster parents.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

14. This rate should be INCREASED.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

15. This rate should be DECREASED.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

16. This rate should be pro-rated on the care needed for the child
    on an individual basis.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

17. Foster Parents should receive an increase per diem based on 
    experience as a foster parent.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

..........................................................................

	At the present time, the Department of Children and Family
services limits the number of children in the foster home to six...

18. This is too many children for one family to care for.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

19. The maximum number of children should be LOWERED.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

20. The maximum number of children should remain UNCHANGED.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

21. The maximum number of children should be RAISED.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

22. There should be no limit established.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

..........................................................................

	The Department of Children and Family Services regulations
currently allow single adults to be licensed as foster parents...

23. Single foster parents may adequately provide for the needs of 
    foster children.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

24. All foster homes should consist of two parent families.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

.........................................................................

	At the present time the Department of Children and Family Services
completes a criminal history for all foster parents...

25. A Misdemeanor conviction should disqualify a potential foster parent
   from receiving a license.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

26. A FELONY conviction should disqualify a potential foster parent from
   becoming a foster parent.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

27. Any misdemeanor conviction while licensed as a foster parent should
    result in a revocation of their license.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

28. Any Felony conviction while licensed as a foster parent should result
    in a revocation of their license.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

..........................................................................

	At the present, the Department of Children and Family Services 
allows corporal punishment in foster homes at the discretion of the 
department...

29. Corporal Punishment should be allowed to REMAIN.

<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

30. Corporal Punishment should be REMOVED from foster homes.


<Strongly Agree>   <Agree>   <Neutral>   <Disagree>   <Strongly Disagree>

..........................................................................

	Lastly, we have a few questions to complete our survey...

31. Catagory which Best Describes you:

	__ Foster Parent	___ Attorney
	__ Caseworker		___ Student
	__ My Child is/has been in foster care.
	__ I am/was a child in Foster Care.
	___ Other 

32. Age: ____

33. Sex: 
	(1) Male	(2) Female

34. Marital Status:
	(1) Single  	(2) Married	(3) Divorced/Separated  (4) Widowed

35. At the conclusion of this survey, would you like a copy of the
    findings and subsequent report derived from it?
	(1) YES		(2) NO

36. Where would you like this report sent:

	NAME: ___________________
	ADDRESS:  ______________________
	CITY: ____________________   STATE: _______  ZIP:_________

	Optional(Email Address): __________________________

	Once again, on behalf of our research group, I wish to thank
	you for taking the time to contribute to this study.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Open Ended Questions:

1. What are the most significant drawbacks to our current Foster
   Care System?






2. How can the system be improved?







3. Should the Role of Foster Parents in designing Case Plans be
   increased?


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| Steve Mancini                       | phi@sage.cc.purdue.edu          |
|    Grad Student {Dazed & Confused}  | mancini@vm.cc.purdue.edu        |
|    Political Science Department     | mancinis@mentor.cc.purdue.edu   | 
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| "We are in a Universe with more and more information, and less and    |
|  less meaning." - Jean Beaudrillard					|  
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Newsgroups: misc.legal