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May 2008Vol. 9, No. 4Foster Home Assessment Tool

A tool that assists agencies and caseworkers in assessing the ability of foster families to provide a safe and stable environment for children placed in care has been developed by ACTION for Child Protection. Identifying and Verifying the Safe Foster Home: A Study and Assessment Method presents 14 indicators that measure foster parent functioning in such areas as personal history, parenting practices and discipline, family functioning and support networks, the parent's viewpoints on the birth parents and child maltreatment, the level of preparation for foster parenting and motivation to support and meet the foster child's needs, and willingness to collaborate with the agency. The tool includes child indicators associated with the functioning of the foster parents' own children, the children in placement, and any other children present in the home. The tool also features a worksheet for formulating a support plan to address any specific concerns.

www.actionchildprotection.org/PDF/The_Safe_Foster_%20Home_Training_Summary.pdf (PDF - 153 KB)