10-148 C.M.R. ch. 20, § 11 - PROGRAM OF CARE

A. The following regulations shall govern the admission to care of any child by the child placing agency.

1. No child shall be placed for respite care without the written authorization of the parent, other person, official or agency having legal authority to give that authorization.

2. No child shall be placed for respite care without the following information being secured and recorded in the child's record.

a. Full name of the child and residence when accepted for care,

b. Date and place of birth.

c. Sex of child.

d. Name, addresses, telephone numbers, occupation, marital status of parents and how they may be reached in the event of an emergency.

e. Legal status of the child, including custody orders.

f. Any religious practices that would affect the placement.

g. Medical history and current medical needs pertinent to the placement.

h. The particular needs of the child which must be attended to during the time of respite.

i. Skills and abilities of the child including description of behavior and routines and other information relative to the needs of the child.

j. Statement of financial arrangement at the time of acceptance.

k. Who will be allowed to visit and who will not.

3. The agency shall ensure that a child with a communicable disease shall not be placed with other children.

B. The following regulations shall govern the responsibility of the child placing agency to the child in care.

1. No child shall be placed in an unlicensed children's home for respite care.

2. No child shall be placed under the care of an unlicensed child placing agency or unlicensed child care facility.

3. The child placing agency which accepts responsibility for a child must assure that his or her needs relative to respite care are met.

4. The child placing agency shall assure that the child and the persons legally responsible for the child shall have the right to private discussions with each other and shall assure that the respite care provider is supplied with information regarding who may or may not visit the child.

C. The following regulations shall govern the discharge from respite care of any child by the child placing agency.

1. A discharge plan shall be developed each time a child enters respite cars.

2. A copy of the discharge plan will be given to the respite care provider at the time of placement.

3. Discharge of a child from respite care shall be made only in accordance with the discharge plan specified in writing by the person(s) or agency having legal custody of the child or on the written authorization of one of these, or in an emergency in accordance with a plan developed by the child placing agency.

4. The name and address of the person, persons or agency to whom the child was discharged and date of discharge will be recorded in the child's record.

Notes

10-148 C.M.R. ch. 20, § 11