Ohio Administrative Code|Rule 5101:2-42-20 | Resource family bill of rights.

                                                
(A) No court or agency or any employee,
		  volunteer, intern or subcontractor of a court or agency is to in any way
		  violate any of the following rights of resource families:
(1) The right to be
			 treated with dignity and respect as the resource family providing the day to
			 day care for children in the children services system.
(2)  The right to be free
			 of discrimination including race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or
			 expression, national origin (ancestry), military status (past, present or
			 future), disability, age (forty years or older), genetic information, or sexual
			 orientation.
(3) The right to receive
			 training from either the recommending agency or the training designee and
			 support from the recommending and custodial agencies to strengthen resource
			 parenting skills and meet the needs of children in their care.
(4) The right to review
			 the home study information that is not deemed confidential by the recommending
			 agency.
(5) The right to receive clear
			 expectations that relate to their role as a resource caregiver in partnership
			 with the child in foster care, the childs family and with all other team
			 members.
(6) The right to access a staff person
			 representing the recommending or custodial agency inside and outside of normal
			 business hours.
(7) The right to be informed of all known
			 information about a child placed in their care pursuant to rule 5101:2-42-90 of
			 the Administrative Code including information that may impact the health,
			 safety, and well-being of any member of the resource family and
			 community.
(8) The right to receive notification
			 prior to court hearings and scheduled meetings concerning a child in their care
			 and to be encouraged to share information during those opportunities.
			 
(9) The right to receive training on the
			 reasonable and prudent parent standard and, once trained, to act as the
			 reasonable and prudent parent in making decisions for children placed in their
			 care to participate in normal childhood activities that still maintain their
			 health and safety.
(10) The right to actively work with the
			 agency toward the permanency goal identified in the family case plan (e.g.,
			 reunification) and to support supplemental planning as established in rule
			 5101:2-38-05 of the Administrative Code, and participate in treatment planning
			 (including independent living skills for children fourteen and older) for
			 children in their care. 
(11) The right to be informed of the
			 processes available to submit grievances and/or complaints including with
			 regards to these rights and to make their concerns known without fear of
			 reprisal.
(12) The right to be informed of the
			 process when a resource caregiver is investigated based on an allegation of
			 maltreatment and points of contact, and what to anticipate as a person who is
			 under investigation. The resource family has the right to be informed what
			 supports and resources are available to them during the process and how the
			 outcome may affect their relationship with the recommending and/or custodial
			 agency.
(B) Any agency involved with a resource
		  caregiver is to inform the resource caregiver of their rights and
		  responsibilities pursuant to rules contained within Chapter 5101:2-7 of the
		  Administrative Code in writing as well as all agency policies that impact the
		  caregiver and any child in their care. Nothing in this rule supersedes the
		  requirement for resource caregivers to follow agency policies. 
(C) If the rights of a resource
		  caregiver, as established by this rule, conflict with the rights of a youth in
		  foster care, as established in rule 5101:2-5-35 of the Administrative Code, the
		  rights of the youth will preempt the rights of the resource family or resource
		  caregiver.
(D) The rights established by this rule
		  will not create grounds for a civil action against the department, the
		  recommending agency, or the custodial agency.


Last updated November 15, 2021 at 8:38 AM