Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 6 - Division of Family and Children's Services › Chapter 1 - DFCS Policy Manual › Section 18-6-1-D - Foster Care Policy › Section 18-6-1-D-XII - APPENDICES › Appendix 18-6-1-D-XII-M - NOTICE OF RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITES CHILDREN 13 & UNDER IN FOSTER CARE

Current through June 25, 2024
You have rights and responsibilities while you are
						involved with the DFCS of Family and Children's Services (DFCS). These are the
						rights and responsibilities for children thirteen and under who are in the
						custody of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The normal hours of
						operation for the DFCS are 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday,
						excluding state holidays. In case of emergencies, contact may be made after
						hours, weekends, and/or on state holidays.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
1. You have the right to know why you are in foster care
						and how we will take care of you.
2. You have the right to visit with your family unless
						the youth court judge says you cannot do so.
3. You have the right to know your social worker, to
						know his/her boss, to know their phone numbers and to know how to get help from
						your social worker.
4. You have the right to expect a safe and healthy place
						to stay while you are away from your home and to know all the rules and
						regulations of the place you are staying.
5. Be free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
6. To fair treatment, whatever my gender, gender
						identity, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, medical
						problems, or sexual orientation.
7. Not receive any harsh, cruel, unusual, unnecessary,
						demeaning, or humiliating punishment. This includes not being shaken, hit,
						spanked, or threatened, forced to do unproductive work, be denied food, sleep,
						access to a bathroom, mail, or family visits as punishment. You will not
						receive remarks that make fun of you or your family or any threats of losing
						your placement or shelter.
8. Be disciplined in a manner that is appropriate to how
						mature you are, you developmental level, and your medical condition. You must
						be told why you were disciplined. Discipline does not include the use of
						restraint, seclusion, corporal punishment or threat of corporal punishment.
9. You have the right to take part in decisions made
						about you, to know when court hearings are held, and to ask for the help of a
						lawyer
10. You have the right to know when your place to stay
						or your visits with your family are about to change. (Your social worker will
						tell you as soon as they know there will be a change.)
11. You have the right to be treated with dignity and
						respect and receive services without regard to race, color, creed, religion,
						national origin, sex, age, disability, or political affiliation.
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Client initials
Worker
						initials
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO:
Let someone know if you feel you have been treated
						unfairly by:
1. Talking with your social worker about the problem.
2. If the problem is not fixed, asking your social
						worker or someone else to arrange for you to talk with the ASWS (Area Social
						Worker Supervisor). This person is your social worker's boss.
3. If the problem is still not fixed, asking the ASWS to
						let you talk with his/her boss.
4.
After all of that, if there is still a
						problem, calling the state complaint/grievance unit at 1-800-222-8000.
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_____________
Client initials
Worker
						initials
CONFIDENTIALITY:
Your family's information is confidential and private.
						We will not disclose any information without your parent's written permission
						or by order of the court. However, information may be shared with law
						enforcement or the Office of the District Attorney without your parent's
						written permission. We may contact other people to assess your safety.
Confidentiality laws limit the information we can share
						with you. We are not able to name the reporter in any investigation, tell you
						what anyone else said, or give you a copy of any investigation.
______________
_____________
Client initials
Worker
						initials
Client: _________________________
Date: ___________________
Worker:
_________________________
Date: ___________________