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February 2004Vol. 5, No. 1Visiting Between Children in Care and Their Families: State Policies

Foster care managers seeking information on State policies regarding visiting between children in care and their families will find a useful summary in a recent paper published by the National Resource Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning. "Visiting Between Children in Care and Their Families: A Look at Current Policy" (www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/family-child-visiting.html) reviews State policies in the following content areas:

  • Written visit plans
  • Who may participate in visits
  • Frequency of visits
  • Responsibilities regarding visits (for caseworkers, parents, foster parents)
  • The "right to contact" between children and families
  • Where and when visits occur
  • Visit supervision
  • Visiting activities
  • Visiting in specific situations (e.g., an incarcerated parent, domestic violence)

Policy excerpts are included to illustrate the wide variation among States, and a checklist is provided of 30 content areas that States should address in their own policies.