Licensing and Home Approval Documentation Requirements

The FC EW must verify that a Foster Care child(ren) lives with an eligible provider at all times during the child’s stay in Foster Care. Children must be placed in:

  • A licensed home or institution;
  • A home which is certified, license-pending;
  • A home exempt from licensure; or
  • An exclusive-use home which is certified by a licensed home-finding agency.

For Federal and State audit review purposes FC EWs must ensure that licensing information is readily available and that the “Foster Care Child’s Data Record and AFDC-FC Certification” (SOC 158A) documents that the home has been approved for placement of a child(ren).

Relative/NREFM and Legal Guardians are exempt from licensing however must meet the federal guidelines as an “Approved Home.” The following forms are used as verification of an Approved Home:

  • “Approval of Family Caregiver Home” (SOC 815)
  • “Checklist of Health and Safety Standards for Approval of Family Caregiver Home” (SOC 817)
  • “Relative or Non-Relative Extended Family Member Caregiver Assessment” (SOC 818)

Family Homes

Family homes must be licensed by the appropriate community care licensing agency, i.e the County Welfare Department or California Department of Social Services. If the home is not licensed, it must be one of the following:

  • Exempt from licensure as the home of a Relative or NREFM and the SW has determined that the home is suited to the child’s needs, or
  • Certified license-pending, or
  • An exclusive-use home of a licensed home-finding agency.

Reminder: When the Foster Parents move, the new residence must be licensed or certified license pending.

Criteria for a Certified License-Pending Home

To meet the criteria of a certified, license-pending home, it must:

  • Not be exempt from licensure;
  • Have a license application pending for general court-ordered and/or voluntary placement; and
  • Be certified by the SW, that the home meets licensing standards.

Note: The SW must also determine that a licensed facility is not available or does not meet the child’s needs.

Exclusive-Use Home

An exclusive-use home is a family residence certified by a licensed home-finding agency. It is issued a certificate of approval as meeting the licensing standards and is used exclusively by that home-finding agency.

Note: If the Foster Family moves, the new home must be certified for licensing.

Group Homes/Institutions

Group homes are structured residential facilities that must be licensed by the CCL Division of the CDSS. The CCL licenses group homes and investigates all complaints concerning programs and their employees.

Youths may be placed into any of the following group home settings, if applicable:

  • Residential treatment programs for delinquent youth requiring intensive behavior management,
  • Life skills programs for children with emotional and behavioral problems,
  • Emergency shelter and assessment programs,
  • Emancipation programs,
  • Alcohol or substance abuse residential treatment programs,
  • Crisis nurseries for infants and toddlers, and
  • Community Treatment Facilities.

The SW must certify that placement in a group home is necessary to meet the child’s needs and that the group home selected offers those particular treatment services.

To be eligible to AFDC-FC, a child placed in a group home must be placed in a nonprofit group home. CDSS will not issue a rate unless the group home is a non-profit. If the facility is a profit facility, there is no Federal or State reimbursement and the entire rate must be paid from All County funds.

Reminder: The use of All County Funds requires a completed Director’s Exception request.

Related Topics

Overview