Minnesota Administrative Rules

2960.3070 FOSTER PARENT TRAINING.

Subpart 1.

Orientation.

A nonrelative foster parent must complete a minimum of six hours of orientation before admitting a foster child. Orientation is required for relative foster parents who will be licensed as a child's foster parents. Orientation for relatives must be completed within 30 days following the initial placement. The foster parent's orientation must include items A to E:

A.

emergency procedures, including evacuation routes, emergency telephone numbers, severe storm and tornado procedures, and location of alarms and equipment;

B.

relevant laws and rules, including, but not limited to, chapter 9560 and Minnesota Statutes, chapters 245A, 260, 260C, and 260E, and legal issues and reporting requirements;

C.

cultural diversity, gender sensitivity, culturally specific services, cultural competence, and information about discrimination and racial bias issues to ensure that caregivers will be culturally competent to care for foster children according to Minnesota Statutes, section 260C.212, subdivision 11;

D.

information about the role and responsibilities of the foster parent in the development and implementation of the case plan and in court and administrative reviews of the child's placement; and

E.

requirements of the licensing agency.

Subp. 2.

In-service training.

Each foster parent must complete a minimum of 12 hours of training per year in one or more of the areas in this subpart or in other areas as agreed upon by the licensing agency and the foster parent. If the foster parent has not completed the required annual training at the time of relicensure and does not show good cause why the training was not completed, the foster parent may not accept new foster children until the training is completed. The nonexclusive list of topics in items A to Z provides examples of in-service training topics that could be useful to a foster parent:

A.

cultural competence and transcultural placements;

B.

adoption and permanency;

C.

crisis intervention, including suicide prevention;

D.

sexual offender behaviors;

E.

children's psychological, spiritual, cultural, sexual, emotional, intellectual, and social development;

F.

legal issues including liability;

G.

foster family relationships with placing agencies and other service providers;

H.

first aid and life-sustaining treatment such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation;

I.

preparing foster children for independent living;

J.

parenting children who suffered physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or domestic violence;

K.

chemical dependency, and signs or symptoms of alcohol and drug abuse;

L.

mental health and emotional disturbance issues;

M.

Americans with Disabilities Act and Individuals With Disabilities Education Act;

N.

caring for children with disabilities and disability-related issues regarding developmental disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, and specific learning disabilities;

O.

privacy issues of foster children;

P.

physical and nonphysical behavior guidance, crisis de-escalation, and discipline techniques, including how to handle aggression for specific age groups and specific issues such as developmental disabilities, chemical dependency, emotional disturbances, learning disabilities, and past abuse;

Q.

birth families and reunification;

R.

effects of foster care on foster families;

S.

home safety;

T.

emergency procedures;

U.

child and family wellness;

V.

sexual orientation;

W.

disability bias and discrimination;

X.

management of sexual perpetration, violence, bullying, and exploitative behaviors;

Y.

medical technology-dependent or medically fragile conditions; and

Z.

separation, loss, and attachment.

Subp. 3.

Medical equipment training.

Foster parents who care for children who rely on medical equipment to sustain life or monitor a medical condition must meet the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.155.

Statutory Authority:

L 1995 c 226 art 3 s 60; MS s 241.021; 245A.03; 245A.09

History:

28 SR 211

Published Electronically:

October 13, 2021