Chapter 4 : Section 13

Discipline in Foster Care

Policy

The Department shall provide discipline guidelines for out-of-home care providers to ensure the health and safety of children, to encourage consistency, to facilitate communication and training, to support a problem-solving perspective regarding difficult care issues, and to provide a supportive atmosphere that allows care providers to identify problems and ask for assistance.

Use of unacceptable modes of discipline upon children in the Department's care shall not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Procedures

Discuss discipline with all out-of-home care providers openly to facilitate a problem-solving approach, particularly when they are caring for children with difficult behavior patterns.

Reinforce that the Department considers the following to be acceptable discipline methods:

  • natural and logical consequences;

  • encouragement and praise;

  • positive communication, active listening;

  • "I" messages;

  • incentives/ rewards/ motivation;

  • contracting;

  • redirection;

  • role modeling;

  • time-out; and

  • removal of privileges.

Underscore that the following are unacceptable discipline methods;

  • verbal abuse;

  • food, water and sleep deprivation;

  • cruel, severe or corporal punishment;

  • physical discipline;

  • deprivation of contacts from family members;

  • locking up a child;

  • locking a child out of a home or care facility; and

  • deprivation of personal allowance provided by the Department.

Consult a supervisor immediately if you have reason to believe that a care provider may be using unacceptable methods of discipline.

N/A

 

A.A.C. R21-6 et seq. Family Foster Parent Licensing Requirements

Effective Date: October 30, 2023
Revision History: November 30, 2012, September 13, 2013, February 4, 2015, July 7, 2018, August 6, 2016, June 24, 2019 , February 1, 2021