441—117.1(237) Required preservice training. Foster parent preservice training shall be offered by the department or by a licensed child-placing agency through a training program that has been approved by the department pursuant to rule 441—117.5(237).
	117.1(1) Preservice training requirement. Each individual foster parent applicant shall complete the entire 30-hour preservice training as approved by the foster family program manager.
	a. 	Applicants shall complete the 30-hour preservice training before receiving a license for the first time.
	b. 	Applicants shall retake the 30-hour preservice training if they do not complete the curriculum within 24 months after initially commencing it.
	c. 	The department may waive the preservice training requirement in whole or in part when the department finds that:
	(1)	The applicant has completed relevant training or has a combination of relevant training and experience that is an acceptable equivalent to all or a portion of the required preservice training; or
	(2)	There is good cause for the waiver based upon the circumstances of the child and the applicant.
	117.1(2) Preservice training program approval requirements.
	a. 	Content. The program shall be designed to assist prospective foster parents in developing the understanding and abilities that are essential to promote children’s safety, permanence, and well-being. 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.
	b. 	Length. The entire preservice training program shall total at least 30 hours of contact between leaders and participants. The department’s recruitment and retention contractor shall devise a procedure for applicants to make up any portions of the preservice training that 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 leaders or as approved by the adult, children and family services division administrator or designee.
	d. 	Group method. The program shall be provided in groups that consist of three or more persons. The training shall be offered to a foster family individually only when the foster family is unable to attend group training for reasons such as serious medical conditions, as approved by the social work administrator or designee.
	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 applicants who begin and complete the training and of the training program evaluations shall be submitted to the recruitment and retention contractor at the end of each 30-hour preservice training session.
	117.1(3) Universal precautions. Before licensure, each individual foster parent shall complete one hour of training related to the use and practice of universal precautions. Training shall be completed through the approved individual self-study course, “Universal Precautions in Foster and Adoptive Resource Family Homes.”
	117.1(4) Additional preservice training. Before licensure, each foster parent shall complete training in an agency-approved medication management course, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, the reasonable and prudent parent standard, and the mandatory reporter training on child abuse identification. Training shall also be completed that teaches foster parents how to support a child’s overall well-being and emotional needs.
[ARC 8010B, IAB 7/29/09, effective 10/1/09; ARC 1808C, IAB 1/7/15, effective 3/1/15; ARC 3185C, IAB 7/5/17, effective 9/1/17; ARC 6715C, IAB 11/30/22, effective 2/1/23]