A. For purposes of notification of DCF custody and placement, DCF defines a relative as follows:
1. A person who can trace a blood tie to a child. Persons related by blood may include, but are not limited to, a parent, grandparent, sibling, great-grandparent, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece, great-great grandparent, great uncle or aunt, cousin, great-great-great grandparent, great-great uncle or aunt, or similar relation. Termination of parental rights does not alter or eliminate the blood relationship to relatives.
a. For placement purposes, parents of the child are not considered an out of home placement. If the child is residing with either parent, the child is considered to be "in the home.”
2. A person who is or was related to the child through marriage or previous marriage (terminated by death or divorce). This includes, but is not limited to, step-parents, step-grandparents, step-aunts, step-uncles or similar relation.
3. Legally adoptive parents and other relatives of adoptive parents as designated in groups (1) and (2).
4. Parents or relatives of siblings or half-siblings, including but not limited to grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, or similar relation.
5. Adoptive parents and grandparents of siblings or half-siblings.
6. A court-appointed guardian or permanent custodian of a sibling or half-sibling.
B. When attempting to locate relatives of the child for whom the parents do not have current information, there are a number of websites available to assist in the search effort. A listing of some of these websites is found in Appendix 3N--Family Finding Search Websites.
C. Services Provided:
Planning and delivering services and supports for relatives and non-related kinship placements shall be guided by family-centered practice principles, cultural competence and sensitivity to the complex issues involved. For relative or non-related kin placements the Child Welfare Case Management Provider (CWCMP) shall:
1. Assess families and identify risk factors, safety factors, strengths and needs, and intergenerational trauma, including an exploration of how the family’s triumphs and adversities have influenced their present life. This may include the family’s prior history with DCF or other social systems;
a. If relatives or non-related kin live out of state, an Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) shall be requested as soon as possible so an assessment can be performed and placement can be considered.
2. Develop safety plans with the family based on identified risk factors
3. Address challenges of relative care with the family;
4. Provide relevant information about the child to the relative prior to placement in the home;
5. Locate and access services and resources available to relatives;
6. Plan for permanency with the family for the child;
7. Mediate the relationship between the parents or caregivers and family;
8. Provide services and supports to strengthen the relative's capacity to provide a safe, nurturing home for the child;
9. Provide supports and services to assist the relative in understanding and addressing the possible effects on the child due to maltreatment, trauma, and separation.
For additional information concerning placement with grandparent, see PPM 3341
C. Placement at the Time of Referral:
1. If DCF does not recommend certain relatives for placement, concerns shall be provided to the CWCMP at the time of the referral. DCF shall respond to any concerns expressed by the relative regarding the reason DCF does not recommend placement.
2. If the prospective initial placement is with a relative who does not have a foster home license, the CWCMP shall complete a walk-through of the relative’s home, a PPS 5143 Declaration of No Criminal Offences and request a FACTS/KIDS check by DCF prior to placement of the child. DCF staff shall be available for 4 hours following the referral to assist in providing additional information needed. The 4-hour availability may be negotiated. The relative shall complete the requirements listed in section E.3. within 30 days for the child to continue placement with them.
D. Information to be Shared with Relatives Prior to placement:
1. Relatives have a choice between TANF or foster care payments. Relatives may be eligible for TANF assistance. Eligibility for TANF is based on TANF definitions and income eligibility requirements. Relatives shall be informed by the CWCMP of the approximate amount of TANF they may receive. Other options are financial support, through a foster care maintenance payment per the set rate structure or requesting to become the payee for benefits the child receives such as SSI, SSA, etc. The Social Security Administration makes the final determination about who will be the payee.
2. For information on child care benefits for relatives, see PPM 5258.
3. Relatives have the option of becoming licensed with DCF, and the CWCMP shall support the relative in becoming a licensed relative home if they would like to pursue licensure. Licensed relatives shall be compensated at the same maintenance rate as licensed family foster homes per the current DCF rate structure.
E. Requirements for Relative Placements:
1. Relatives may provide care to the child as a non-licensed relative home. The CWCMP shall determine whether a non-licensed relative home is environmentally and psychologically safe for children and a relative placement assessment shall be completed. (See Appendix 5C.)
a. The CWCMP shall complete the Appendix 5B Non-Licensed Placement Crisis Support Acknowledgement annually with every non-licensed relative home. CWCMP’s shall retain a copy of the executed Appendix 5B to provide upon request from the DCF Foster Care Program Manager.
2.For non-licensed relatives, Completion of Caring for Our Own (COO), Kinship Path, or TIPS-MAPP curriculum, or other approved pre-service training is at the CWCMP's discretion but is encouraged.
3. Relatives and all members of the household age 10 and older in the home, excluding children in the custody of the Secretary in out-of-home placement, shall complete KBI criminal background checks, and Child Abuse/ Neglect Central Registry checks. The CWCMP shall request a complete DCF history check, comprised of Web KDHE Request Processor (WKRP), Family and Children Tracking System (FACTS), Kansas Intake/Investigation Protections Systems (KIPS), Kansas Initiative for Decision Support (KIDS), Kansas Adult Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation Central Registry and Kansas Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry Search (CERS) checks through DCF. Household members 18 and older shall be fingerprinted. Child Abuse/ Neglect Central Registry checks must then be completed annually. If the adults in the household lived out of state at any time within the immediate past 5 years and the permanency plan may become adoption, the CWCMP shall complete out-of-state child abuse checks. The assessment of the relative family shall include pertinent social information regarding the family.