CHAPTER 117
FOSTER PARENT TRAINING
[Prior to 2/11/87, Human Services[498]]
Preamble
These rules describe required foster parent preservice training and preplacement orientation. Their purpose is to ensure that the training and orientation is effective in preparing foster parents for their role.
These rules also describe the standards for training and orientation and the procedure to be approved as a training provider.
441—117.1(237) Required preservice training.
	117.1(1) Providers of preservice training. The required foster parent preservice training program shall be offered by the department or by a licensed child-placing agency with a training program that has been approved by the department.
	117.1(2) Preservice training program approval requirements:
	a. 	Content. The program shall be designed to assist prospective foster parents in understanding the philosophy and goals of foster care and the skills required of a foster parent. The program shall address the following topics:
	(1)	Children in foster care, their needs and rights.
	(2)	Families of children in foster care, their rights and responsibilities.
	(3)	Caseworkers and their role.
	(4)	Foster parents, their motivation and role.
	(5)	Self-assessment of foster parent’s strengths.
	(6)	The team effort of foster parents and caseworkers.
	(7)	The impact of foster care placement on the child, the child’s family and the foster family.
	(8)	The purpose and importance of the child’s contact with the child’s family.
	(9)	Training in communication and behavior management.
	(10)	Permanency planning.
	(11)	The reasons for placement termination and feelings involved.
The curriculum developed by the Child Welfare Institute “Partnering for Safety and Permanence: Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting” (PS-MAPP) shall be considered as meeting this requirement.
	b. 	Length. The entire PS-MAPP program shall total at least 30 hours of contact between leaders and participants.
The department and each licensed child-placing agency offering the mandatory 30 hours of PS-MAPP training shall devise a procedure for parents to make up any portions of training which are missed.
	c. 	Instructors. The program shall be team taught by at least one foster or adoptive parent and one casework staff person. All instructors shall be certified PS-MAPP leaders.
	d. 	Group method. The program shall be provided in groups. The training shall be offered to a foster family individually only when the foster family is unable to attend group training.
	e. 	Training certificate. A certificate of completion shall be provided to each foster parent who completes the training.
	f. 	Training evaluation. A means for participants in the training to evaluate the instructors and the content shall be provided.
	g. 	Training records. A record of the foster parents who begin and complete the training and of the training program evaluations shall be submitted to the department office for the location in which the training was provided at the end of each 30-hour PS-MAPP session.
441—117.2(237) Required preplacement orientation.
	117.2(1) Method of provision. The orientation may be provided in an individual meeting of the worker with one set of foster parents or in a group setting.
	117.2(2) Provider. Orientation shall be provided by the department or licensed child-placing agency completing the licensing study. The agency intending to place children in foster care in the home shall review the orientation with the foster parent prior to placement.
	117.2(3) Content. Orientation shall be designed to acquaint the foster parent with the policies and procedures of the foster care program, and shall include the following:
	a. 	Process and procedures for placement and termination of placement.
	b. 	Medical assistance program information.
	c. 	Reimbursement information.
	d. 	Child abuse law and child abuse investigation procedures.
	e. 	Confidentiality.
441—117.3(237) Application materials. Applications shall be submitted on Form 470—2541, Foster Parent Training Application, with the following materials:
	117.3(1) A detailed program description, including objectives, agenda, content, participant materials and time frames or a statement that the Child Welfare Institute “Partnering for Safety and Permanence: Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting” (PS-MAPP), as described in paragraph 117.1(2)“a,” will be the preservice program taught.
	117.3(2) Names of program instructors and their qualifications.
	117.3(3) Rescinded IAB 8/9/89, effective 10/1/89.
	117.3(4) Rescinded IAB 8/9/89, effective 10/1/89.
	117.3(5) A sample of the evaluation tool to be used (for preservice training only).
441—117.4(237) Application process.
	117.4(1) Group training. Applications to provide group foster parent training shall be submitted to the department office for the service area in which the training will be conducted.
	117.4(2) Individual training. Applications for approval for individual training, college credit, written materials, or movies or videotapes shall be submitted to the department office for the service area in which the foster family resides.
441—117.5(237) Application decisions. The department shall notify the applicant of its decision regarding the application within 30 days of receipt of the training materials described in rule 441—117.3(237). This notification shall include the reason for not giving approval if approval is denied.
	117.5(1) Approval. Foster parent training programs which meet the criteria in rule 441—117.1(237) or in rule 441—117.7(237), and which are submitted pursuant to rules 441—117.3(237) and 441—117.4(237) shall be approved by the department.
	117.5(2) Rescinded IAB 8/9/89, effective 10/1/89.
	117.5(3) Denial. Preservice training programs which do not meet the requirements in rules 441—117.1(237), 117.3(237), and 117.4(237) and in-service training programs which do not meet the criteria in rules 441—117.3(237), 117.4(237) and 117.7(237) shall be denied approval. The applicant may submit a revised program for approval at a later date.
	117.5(4) Revocation. Approval shall be revoked when any of the following exist and corrective action is not taken to correct the deficiencies within 45 days.
	a. 	The training provider fails to provide the training as described in the approved application materials.
	b. 	Over 25 percent of the participant evaluations of the training program rate the training program as not helpful.
If approval is revoked, the training provider may submit a revised program at a later date.
441—117.6(237) Application conference available. If an applicant or provider of training objects in writing within seven days after the notification of the department’s decision to deny or revoke approval, the service area manager shall review the decision to determine if the original decision shall stand.
The decision of the service area manager is final and is not subject to an appeal.
441—117.7(237) Required in-service training.
	117.7(1) Providers of in-service training. Foster parent in-service training may be provided by the department, a licensed child-placing or child-caring agency, or an agency, institution, or association with expertise in any of the content areas in subrule 117.7(2), paragraph “a.”  Agencies, institutions, or associations wishing to have a foster parent in-service training program or workshop approved shall submit application materials pursuant to rules 441—117.3(237) and 441—117.4(237).
	117.7(2) In-service training program approval requirements:
	a. 	Content. The program shall relate to the foster parent’s role in providing foster care and the skills needed by a foster parent. Training shall address one or more of the following topics:
Adolescence.
Adoption issues.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or first aid.
Child abuse dynamics and effects.
Child abuse identification and reporting.
Child development.
Communication.
Confidentiality.
Conflict resolution in the family.
Crisis intervention.
Discipline and behavior management.
Educational needs of all children in foster care and working with the educational system.
Emotional and mental health needs of children and working with the mental health system.
Family dynamics.
Health needs of children in foster care and working with the medical system.
Identification, utilization and role of support systems.
Impact of physical abuse, neglect and sexual abuse.
Independent living skill training.
Juvenile court process.
Lifebooks.
Medical management for children.
Mental retardation and developmental disabilities in childhood.
Parenting.
Participation in juvenile court hearings.
Participation in foster care reviews.
Passive restraint of children.
Permanency planning.
Physical disabilities in children.
Physical therapy with children.
Record keeping for foster care.
Role of guardian ad litem and court appointed special advocate (CASA).
Self-care skill training with children.
Separation and attachment.
Sexuality of children.
Sign language.
Stress and foster parenting.
Substance abuse in children.
Suicide prevention with children.
Teamwork and team approach to foster care case planning.
Understanding, supporting, and working with the child’s birth family.
Use of community resources for children and families.
Other topics related to foster parenting or the needs of a child in placement.
	b. 	Method. The training shall be provided through one or more of the following methods:
	(1)	Face-to-face training to a group.
	(2)	Face-to-face training to an individual foster family.
	(3)	Written materials.
	(4)	Movies or videotapes.
	c. 	Credit hours. Credit hours for approved training shall be as follows:
	(1)	Group training shall receive one credit hour for each face-to-face contact hour.
	(2)	Written materials shall receive one credit hour for each 100 pages.
	(3)	Movies or videotapes shall receive one credit hour for each two program hours.
	(4)	College courses shall receive one credit hour for each college credit hour.
	(5)	Self Instructional Pieces shall receive one credit hour per piece.
	d. 	Approved training. The following training programs shall be considered as meeting the in-service training requirements:
	(1)	Workshops offered at the Iowa Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents’ annual state conference.
	(2)	Workshops offered at the National Foster Parent Association’s annual conference.
	(3)	Rescinded IAB 8/9/89, effective 10/1/89.
	(4)	Self Instructional Piece Series (SIPS) published by American Foster Care Resources, Inc.
441—117.8(237) Advisory committee. Rescinded IAB 12/11/02, effective 2/1/03.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 237.5A.
[Filed 4/29/85, Notice 2/27/85—published 5/22/85, effective 7/1/85]
[Filed emergency 1/15/87—published 2/11/87, effective 1/15/87]
[Filed emergency 6/19/87—published 7/15/87, effective 7/1/87]
[Filed 8/28/87, Notice 7/15/87—published 9/23/87, effective 11/1/87]
[Filed 7/13/89, Notice 5/31/89—published 8/9/89, effective 10/1/89]
[Filed 11/18/02, Notice 8/21/02—published 12/11/02, effective 2/1/03]