Illinois Administrative Code › Title 89 - SOCIAL SERVICES › Part 301 - PLACEMENT AND VISITATION SERVICES › Subpart A - PLACEMENT SERVICES › Section 301.80 - Relative Home Placement

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) A child
				for whom the Department is legally responsible may be placed in the home of a
				relative when the Department has reason to believe that the relative can safely
				and adequately care for the child in the absence of formal licensing, including
				training. In determining whether relative home placement is in the best
				interests of the child, the placing worker shall consider the child's prior
				relationship with the relative, the comfort level of the child with the
				relative, and the extent to which the relative complies with the placement
				selection criteria of Section
				301.60(b).
b) The placing worker shall assess the
				prospective relative caregiver's willingness to help and support children in
				developing a relationship with their siblings, including siblings with whom the
				children do not yet have a relationship, and recognize the value of preserving
				family ties between siblings, including their need for stability and continuity
				of relationships, and the importance of sibling contact in the development of
				each child's identity. The worker shall document the results of this assessment
				in the case record.
c) "Fictive
				kin" and "godparents", as defined in Section
				301.20, are considered
				to be related to a child when the child is in the custody or guardianship of
				the Department and in need of a substitute care placement. Unless otherwise
				specified, the requirements in this Section pertaining to relative home
				placements also apply to placement with persons that the parents or child have
				identified as fictive kin or the child's godparents.
d) The placing worker shall emphasize to
				prospective relative caregivers that it is preferable for children to be placed
				together in one home. However, the placing worker may consider a plan for
				placement with two or more relatives when the relatives indicate that they are
				willing and able to develop, nurture and support sibling relationships. When it
				is not possible to place all of the children together, the placing worker shall
				encourage substitute caregivers to encourage and facilitate contact among the
				siblings.
e) Obtaining Information
				about Relatives
1) Child Entering Substitute
				Care
A) The placing worker shall ask the
				parents whether there is a non-custodial parent or if there are relatives who
				may be positive placement resources or positive supports for the child. The
				placing worker shall ask the parents and/or child to identify grandparents and
				other relatives on both the maternal and paternal sides of the family. When the
				child is able to understand that he/she will be entering substitute care, the
				placing worker shall also ask the child, outside the presence of the parents or
				any relative, about each relative named by the parent as a placement resource.
				The placing worker shall document all identified relatives and shall not omit
				from this list anyone named by the parent or child.
B) When considering a godparent as a
				placement resource, the placing worker may identify the godparent/godchild
				relationship by contacting one or both parents to confirm the fact that they
				did, in fact, designate the person as the child's godparent. If the parents are
				unavailable, the placing worker shall contact other close family members to
				identify the relationship. When the child is able to understand, the child
				shall also be asked to help identify his/her godparent. The placing worker must
				determine that the godparent established a close and caring relationship with
				the child prior to the child's placement with the godparent or is part of the
				family support system (see subsection (g)). When family members are not
				available or cannot confirm this relationship, and formal documentation is not
				available, a person claiming to be the child's godparent may be considered for
				placement as a fictive kin.
C) When
				considering a fictive kin as a placement resource, the placing worker must
				determine that the fictive kin established a close and caring relationship with
				the child prior to the child's placement with the fictive kin or is part of the
				family support system (see subsection (g)).
D) The placing worker shall contact the
				persons identified by the parent and child to attempt to locate an immediate
				placement for the child. The placing worker shall document each contact in a
				contact note.
E) The assigned
				Permanency Worker shall continue discussions with the parents and child about
				any relatives who might be support resources for the child. The Permanency
				Worker shall ask the child, outside the presence of the parents or any
				relative, about each relative named by the parent as a placement
				resource.
F) The Permanency Worker
				shall attempt to locate and interview each person named by the parents or
				child, within 5 days after case assignment, to determine his or her interest
				and ability to be an appropriate placement resource or positive support for the
				child. In these interviews, the Permanency Worker shall ask if the relative is
				aware of other relatives of the child who should be contacted. The Permanency
				Worker shall identify and contact all grandparents, all parents of a sibling of
				the child (when the parent has legal custody of the sibling), and other adult
				relatives identified by the family, even when an initial placement has been
				made with a relative caregiver. If the relative cannot be contacted, the
				Placing Worker shall document the reason the relative could not be contacted.
				All interviews shall be documented in a contact note. When contacted by a
				relative who the Permanency Worker has not already interviewed, the Permanency
				Worker shall meet with or call the relative. The Permanency Worker shall
				interview the relative and ask the relative to confirm how he/she is related to
				the child. If a sibling group is involved, the relative shall be asked how
				he/she is related to each of the children.
G) The Permanency Worker shall send a written
				notice, via U.S. Mail, to each identified relative, informing the relative that
				a court order was issued for the child to be removed from the custody of the
				child's parents and placed in the custody of the Department of Children and
				Family Services. The written notice shall identify the child by first name,
				gender and age only. At initial placement, this written notice shall be sent
				within 30 days after obtaining protective custody. In all other circumstances,
				written notice shall be sent within 7 days after obtaining the relative's
				postal contact information. This notice shall not be sent to a relative for
				whom there is a police report, indicated finding or court finding of family or
				domestic violence. The Permanency Worker shall obtain a copy of the police
				report, indicated finding or court finding and place it in the
				record.
H) If the child does not
				know, trust or feel safe with a person named by the parent or identified as a
				relative, the placing worker shall not place the child with that person. The
				placing worker and supervisor shall convene a supervisory staffing to discuss
				the child's feelings and determine and validate the child's concerns. The
				supervisor shall make a Critical Decision regarding placement of the child with
				that relative and document the decision in a supervisory note.
I) Throughout the life of the case, the
				Permanency Worker shall continue to collect information about other relative
				supports and connections as that information becomes available, in order to
				develop a network of individuals who commit to support the family toward
				reunification and ensure the children do not linger in foster care.