Current through all regulations passed and filed through December 16, 2024
(A)
No court or
agency or any employee, volunteer, intern or subcontractor of a court or agency
is to in any way violate any of the following rights of resource
families:
(1)
The right to be treated with dignity and respect as the
resource family providing the day to day care for children in the children
services system.
(2)
The right to be free of discrimination including race,
color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin
(ancestry), military status (past, present or future), disability, age (forty
years or older), genetic information, or sexual orientation.
(3)
The right to
receive training from either the recommending agency or the training designee
and support from the recommending and custodial agencies to strengthen resource
parenting skills and meet the needs of children in their care.
(4)
The right to
review the home study information that is not deemed confidential by the
recommending agency.
(5)
The right to receive clear expectations that relate to
their role as a resource caregiver in partnership with the child in foster
care, the child's family and with all other team members.
(6)
The right to
access a staff person representing the recommending or custodial agency inside
and outside of normal business hours.
(7)
The right to be
informed of all known information about a child placed in their care pursuant
to rule
5101:2-42-90 of the
Administrative Code including information that may impact the health, safety,
and well-being of any member of the resource family and
community.
(8)
The right to receive notification prior to court
hearings and scheduled meetings concerning a child in their care and to be
encouraged to share information during those opportunities.
(9)
The right to
receive training on the reasonable and prudent parent standard and, once
trained, to act as the reasonable and prudent parent in making decisions for
children placed in their care to participate in normal childhood activities
that still maintain their health and safety.
(10)
The right to
actively work with the agency toward the permanency goal identified in the
family case plan (e.g., reunification) and to support supplemental planning as
established in rule
5101:2-38-05 of the
Administrative Code, and participate in treatment planning (including
independent living skills for children fourteen and older) for children in
their care.
(11)
The right to be informed of the processes available to
submit grievances and/or complaints including with regards to these rights and
to make their concerns known without fear of reprisal.
(12)
The right to be
informed of the process when a resource caregiver is investigated based on an
allegation of maltreatment and points of contact, and what to anticipate as a
person who is under investigation. The resource family has the right to be
informed what supports and resources are available to them during the process
and how the outcome may affect their relationship with the recommending and/or
custodial agency.
(B)
Any agency
involved with a resource caregiver is to inform the resource caregiver of their
rights and responsibilities pursuant to rules contained within Chapter 5101:2-7
of the Administrative Code in writing as well as all agency policies that
impact the caregiver and any child in their care. Nothing in this rule
supersedes the requirement for resource caregivers to follow agency
policies.
(C)
If the rights of a resource caregiver, as established
by this rule, conflict with the rights of a youth in foster care, as
established in rule
5101:2-5-35 of the
Administrative Code, the rights of the youth will preempt the rights of the
resource family or resource caregiver.
(D)
The rights
established by this rule will not create grounds for a civil action against the
department, the recommending agency, or the custodial agency.
