New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 3A - CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Chapter 56 - MANUAL OF REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN'S GROUP HOMES
Subchapter 3 - ADMINISTRATION
Section 3A:56-3.3 - Information to parents and staff members

1. Secure a certificate of approval to operate from the Office of Licensing;

2. Comply with all applicable provisions of the manual;

3. Retain a current copy of the manual and make it available for review by parents of resident children;

4. Indicate how parents may secure a copy of the manual by contacting the Office of Licensing, Department of Children and Families, PO Box 717, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0717;

5. Afford parents the opportunity and time to review and discuss with the home or agency director any questions or concerns about policies, requirements, provisions, or alleged violations of the manual;

6. Advise parents that if they believe or suspect that the home or agency is in violation of any provision of the manual, they may report such alleged violations to the Office of Licensing;

7. Make available, upon request, for parents' review the Office's Inspection/Violation and Complaint Reports on the home or agency, as well as any letters of enforcement or other actions taken against the home or agency during the current certificate of approval period;

8. Inform parents that they may request a copy of the home's or agency's behavior management policy, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:56-6.13 and 6.14;

9. Inform parents that the home or agency is required to provide the child's parents with copies of the home's or agency's visitation and communication policies, a copy of the procedure for expressing concern or registering complaints regarding their child's placement, a copy of the search and seizure policy, if any, and a description of its religious policies, including a statement that the child has a right to practice his or her religion;

10. Indicate through this document that any person who has reasonable cause to believe that a child residing in the home has been or is being subjected to any form of hitting, corporal punishment, abusive language, ridicule, or harsh, humiliating, or frightening treatment, or any other kind of child abuse, neglect or exploitation by any person, whether working at the home or not, is required by State law to report such allegations to the Department's State Central Registry at 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (1-877-652-2873) immediately, and indicate that such reports may be made anonymously;

11. Indicate through this document that parents and staff members may secure information about the prevention and reporting of child abuse and neglect from the Department of Children and Families online at www.nj.gov/dcf/reporting;

12. Inform parents that the home or agency must secure written consent from the child's parents before the home or agency may involve the child in fund-raising, publicity, or audiovisual activities related to the home or agency;

13. Inform parents that the home will develop a visitation schedule for parents and children, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:56-6.6 , 9.20, and 10.13; and

14. Inform parents that the home or agency shall obtain written consent from the child's parent for the use of any restrictive behavior management practice used by the home and to administer psychotropic medication.

1. Securing the parent's and staff member's signature on a record attesting to receipt of the document; and

2. Maintaining the record on file; or

3. Documenting in the record the attempts made to secure the parent's signature.