3.4 Child Care Homes as Foster Homes
When a resource home applicant has a valid child care license with the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Section for Child Care Regulation (SCCR), and/or provides child care on the behalf of the Children Division as a registered or contracted provider, considerations must be made regarding conflicts with foster home licensing rule and policy.
Discuss the Foster Family Home Licensing Rules 13 CSR 35-60 with the resource home applicant.
For children receiving child care through the Child Care Assistance program, resource parents are considered to be a mandatory member of the child’s household unit. Resource parents are standing in loco parentis and are not allowed to provide registered or licensed child care to their own children including any foster child(ren) placed in their home. The resource parent must select another child care provider for the foster child(ren) placed in their home. Refer to the Child Care Assistance Manual for Child Care Assistance program requirements.
Inform the foster home applicant of the regulation capacity and age limitations including but not limited to:
- No foster child under the age of seven (7) may be placed in a combined resource home/licensed child care provider family home with the exception of those in a sibling group.
- Registered, licensed, contracted child care providers (owners) cannot be paid for providing child care for their own children. Their own children impact total capacity of children in the home. Foster children are considered their own children.
- For combined resource home/registered family home provider, there may only be a maximum of four (4) non related children in the home.
- The number of foster children shall not cause the resource home/licensed child care family home to exceed the child care provider’s licensed capacity.
- The maximum number of children in a resource home shall not exceed five (5) including any of the foster parents’ own children.
- Resource parent(s) shall not provide care for more than two (2) children under age two (2) and no more than four (4) children under the age of five (5) unless necessary to accommodate a sibling group on a temporary basis.
If licensed with the DHSS/SCCR, discuss the Licensing Rules for Family Day Care Homes, 19 CSR 30-61 with the resource home applicant.
Care of foster youth by a licensed resource parent shall not be combined with regular, part, or full-time care of other children, or with other service or business conducted in the home without written approval of the division (13 CSR 35-60.050(2)(E).
Discuss with the resource home applicant the impact of providing care to both foster care children and child care children. Ensure that holding a resource home license while providing licensed or registered child care in the home will not adversely affect children receiving these services.
Refer to Section 6 Chapter 3 subsection 1 for licensing guidelines.
Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 01-31-07)
CS03-05, CS03-51, CD04-05, CD04-79, CD05-80, CD06-29, CD06-46, CD06-60
Memoranda History: