Licensing
Of Foster Homes
PURPOSE:
To provide a foster home license to prospective adoptive parent(s) that have
been approved for adoption as the result of an Adoptive Family Assessment.
PROCEDURE:
- The adoption social worker must ensure the applicant will be evaluated and assessed
pursuant to the requirements of Administrative Code HFS 56 and HFS 38, through use of the
Adoptive Family Assessment including a criminal background check and a child protective
services record check. Documentation of the evaluation and assessment must be on a Child
Foster Licensing Checklist and an Adoptive Family Assessment form accessed from the
Create>Provider Work>License window in WiSACWIS.
- Criminal and child protective services background checks must be conducted for all
persons age twelve (12) or older living in the household. In completing criminal and child
protective services background check the adoption social worker must contact the
Department of Justice, applicable local law enforcement agencies and applicable child
protective service agencies including agencies from all communities where the person has
lived within the prior five (5) years. Documentation of these contacts must be on a
provider case note in the provider’s WiSACWIS record and should also be documented on
the Home Inquiry Checklist accessed from the Home Inquiry window in WiSACWIS.
Note: If the applicant was a nonresident of the State of Wisconsin at any time within
the five (5) year period prior to the date of application, the adoption social worker,
with the assistance of the applicant, must make a good faith effort to contact law
enforcement agencies in any state in which the applicant resided prior to residing in
Wisconsin.
- After gathering and documenting all required information, the adoption social worker
along with his/her supervisor, will issue or deny a foster home license prior to placing a
child(ren) in the home consistent with the decision to approve or disapprove the Adoptive
Family Assessment. The Adoptive Family Assessment approval letter for a specific child can
be accessed from the Home Provider License window in WiSACWIS.
- If the decision is to license, the adoption social worker and his or her supervisor,
will determine the appropriate conditions to be placed on the license. Conditions will
limit the family to a prospective adoptive placement and will state whether the family is
appropriate for a legal risk adoptive placement. Conditions may include limitations on the
number, age, sex or special needs of children to be placed with the family. A condition
may also be that the license is valid only for the care of a particular child or for a
period of less than two (2) years. Any conditions placed upon a license must be documented
on the license. The Foster Home License can be accessed from the Provider License window
in WiSACWIS. Remember that the foster home license must be printed for supervisor
signature prior to electronic approval of the license by the supervisor in WiSACWIS.
- If the applicant has an existing Wisconsin foster home or treatment foster home license,
the adoption social worker shall work with the agency that has licensed the family to
place conditions on the home as indicated above.
- If the applicant/licensee requests or requires an exception to sections of the licensing
rule, the exceptions must be documented on the license. An exception indicates that
a particular rule is altered to fit the family circumstances provided the exception does
not negatively effect the safety and risk needs of the child.
For example the rule states that all stairways in the home have handrails. An exception
could not simply state that a handrail is not necessary. The exception would need to state
that a handrail is not necessary on the basement stairs because there is a door at the top
of the stairs that is and must always be locked so that the children do not have access to
that stairway.
- If the applicant does not have an existing Wisconsin foster home or treatment foster
home license, a license must be issued at the time a child is placed in the home for a
period of two (2) years unless a condition shortening the effective period is issued.
- If the applicant is denied the adoption social worker and his/her supervisor shall
provide the applicant with a written rationale for the denial and a statement of how the
applicant may appeal the decision and within what time frame that appeal must be
requested, as in the requirements on the Adoptive Family Assessment.
FORMS REFERENCED
Child Foster Care Licensing Checklist
Foster Home License (currently available in hardcopy)
Return to WiSACWIS Policies and
Procedures Index Page
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Last Revised: June 16, 2008 |