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QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOME |
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Q: Are there different types of Foster Homes?A: Yes, there are. The following types of Foster Homes are licensed by the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services:
EMERGENCY FOSTER HOMES
These homes provide care for children on an emergency, short-term basis.
REGULAR FOSTER HOMES
These are homes which provide care for foster children on an ongoing basis. A monthly standard rate is paid for each child. Special additional rates may be paid in individual situations requiring extra care and supervision.
SPECIALIZED FOSTER HOMES
These homes provide care for children with special or intensified needs. Rates reflect the specialized nature of the child's needs and additional training is often required for the Foster Parents.
RESTRICTED FOSTER HOMES
A restricted license is a license granted to an applicant to care for a specific child or children only. If the child or children specified on the restricted license is no longer available, the application must be re-evaluated.
Q: What are some of the standards our home must meet?A: Some of the standards a home must meet are:
- Foster Homes shall be reasonably clean, orderly and in a good state of repair. They must have enough space to give children a comfortable and sanitary home.
- Play is a child's business. Foster homes need to have enough indoor play space for children and shall have enough yard space which for children under 5 years must be fenced and free of hazards to life and health.
- A child needs a place of his own. No foster child shall sleep in a detached building, unfinished attic, basement, stair hall or room used for other than bedroom purposes, and family's own children shall not be moved and made to use such sleeping quarters because of the presence of a foster child.
- Bedrooms shall have privacy, be adequately ventilated and located within call of an adult. A child must have a place for his clothing and personal belongings. Two children may share a bedroom.
- Children of opposite sex over five years of age shall not share a bedroom. Children over two years of age shall not sleep in the same room with an adult.
- Individual beds. An individual bed shall be provided for each child. Each bed shall have a clean comfortable mattress and adequate bedding.
- Fire and health safety requires that:
- An approved smoke detector be installed for each separate sleeping area outside the bedrooms.
- Fireplaces and open-faced heaters must be protected by screens. Gas heaters must be vented and installed with permanent connectors or protectors.
- Children must be protected from home accidents which might result from unguarded stairs or electrical appliances.
- Safe storage must be provided for all disinfectants and cleaning solutions.
- Medicines, disinfectants, cleaning solutions, poisons and other dangerous items shall be stored safely and inaccessible to children.
- Storage areas for poisons, firearms and other dangerous weapons shall be locked. Ammunition shall be locked separately.
- There must be a pure water supply. Homes with a private water supply must have the water tested by a licensed commercial laboratory or County Health Department.
- Swimming pools must meet the following requirements of Licensing Regulations:
- All homes that accept children under 10 years of age or a child that has a condition including one that makes the child developmentally disabled, or mentally handicapped, and for whom special care and supervision is required as a result of his/her condition, shall ensure the inaccessibility of pools, including swimming pools (in-ground and above-ground), fixed-in-place wading pools, hot tubs, spas, fish ponds, and similar bodies of water through a pool cover or by surrounding the pool with a fence. Fences must have a five-foot, see-through fence and a self-latching gate.
- Above ground pools must be fenced at all times or otherwise be inaccessible when not in use.
- Spas must have a locking cover.
Q: How many children may share bedroom?A: No more than two children of either gender who are under the age of 5 years may share a bedroom. If children are over 5, they may share a bedroom with one other child of the same gender only. Exceptions may be granted depending upon individual circumstances.
Q: Can my child share a room with a foster child?A: Yes, depending upon the individual foster child. Some foster children may have histories that would preclude them sharing a room with another child. No more than two children of either gender who are under the age of 5 years may share a bedroom. If children are over 5 years of age, they may share a bedroom with one other child of the same gender only. Exceptions may be granted depending upon individual circumstances.
QUESTIONS ABOUT LICENSING | QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION | QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CARETAKER | QUESTIONS ABOUT PLACEMENT| RETURN TO MAIN FOSTER HOME LICENSING PAGE
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