7600 Developing Foster and Adoptive Homes

CPS September 2026

This section contains duties and responsibilities relating to Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialists when DFPS is acting as the child-placing agency for foster or adoptive parents.

7610 Foster Home Development

CPS September 2026

Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialists serve an integral and important role in supporting foster parents. They are responsible for ensuring that required documentation is complete and properly stored for all foster homes, and for working in conjunction with a child's conservatorship specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent to ensure that foster parents receive information necessary to provide proper care.

Other duties and responsibilities of FAD specialists include, but are not limited to, those described below.

Supporting Foster Families

The FAD specialist must provide support and guidance to foster families to help ensure that:

The physical, emotional, and psychological needs of children under DFPS conservatorship are met.
The foster family is aware of in-service training that can help develop their parenting skills.
Permanency plans are achieved for children under DFPS conservatorship.
Any need for intermittent alternate care (IAC) is addressed (see 7900 Alternate Caregiving for Foster Children).
Foster families are retained and treated as an important professional foster care team member.
Foster families support the child's birth family connection, if applicable.
Foster parents are monitored and evaluated for compliance with the Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies. See the kinship minimum standards, Subchapter W, for relative or fictive kin foster families.

Providing Foster Families with Documentation

The FAD specialist must ensure that foster parents are provided with documentation from the child's conservatorship specialist or SSCC equivalent, such as:

Court notices
Court reports
Service planning meeting notices
The child's current plan of service

Supporting the CPS Conservatorship Specialist or SSCC Equivalent

The FAD specialist must conduct joint foster home visits with a child's conservatorship specialist or SSCC equivalent to promote:

Better communication between CPS or SSCC staff and foster families.
Quick resolution to identified concerns.
Receipt of updated information regarding the child's plan of service and the birth family's plan of service, if applicable.

Assisting Foster Families to Maintain Documentation

The FAD specialist must ensure that foster families have the following documents present and accessible for each child in their home:

Education log (if applicable)
Form 3022 Daily Prescription Medication Log for Foster and Adoptive Homes
Form 2401 Non-Prescription Medication Log
Orientation and placement paperwork
Form 2085FC Placement Authorization or Form 2085LR Placement Authorization - Legal Risk
Form 2279 Placement Summary
Form 2279b Certification of Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse or Sexual Aggression Information
Form 2655 Visitation/Contact Plan for Children in FAD Homes
Form 2530 CPS Rights of Children and Youth in Foster Care
Form 2410 Foster Care and Adoption Discipline Acknowledgement
Current Child Plan of Service
Medical, Dental and Psychiatric Information, including:

Form 2403 Medical, Dental, Vision, Hearing, or Behavioral Health Appointment
Form 2101 Psychiatric Visit Documentation

The FAD specialist must ensure that foster families have the following documents complete and easily accessible for inspection:

Home verification certificate
Current CPR and first aid card
Training certificates (copies are adequate)
Current fire and health inspections
Form 2288 Disaster Plan for DFPS Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Homes
Fire escape plan

Documentation Requirements for Relative or Fictive Kin Foster Homes

The FAD specialist must ensure that relative or fictive kin foster homes maintain a daily medication log present and accessible for each child in their home. Kinship foster homes are only required to log the administration of controlled substances and prescribed psychotropic medications. Kinship foster homes must also log any failure to administer prescribed psychotropic medication, as labeled, to a kinship child in foster care.

Providing Foster Families with Record-Keeping Materials

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must supply foster parents with blank copies of the following documents, as necessary:

Form 3022 Daily Prescription Medication Log for Foster and Adoptive Homes
Form 2401 Non-Prescription Medication Log
Form 3005 Serious Incident Report
Form 2403 Medical, Dental, Vision, Hearing, or Behavioral Health Appointment
Form 2101 Psychiatric Visit Documentation
Form 2656 Search of Person or Personal Belongings
Other applicable documents

7611 Rights and Responsibilities of Foster Parents

CPS September 2026

Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) staff must provide foster parents with Form 3001, Statement of Rights and Responsibilities of Foster Parents and Child-Placing Agencies for unrelated foster homes, and Form 2907 RCCR Statement of Foster Parent, Kinship Foster Parent and Child-Placing Agency Rights and Responsibilities for relative and fictive kinship foster homes, and ensure they understand the rights and responsibilities of foster parents and the responsibilities of child-placing agency staff.

Rights of Foster Parents

FAD staff must inform foster parents that they have the right to:

Be treated with dignity, respect, and consideration as a member of the professional team.
Participate in service planning and in the implementation of the service plan.
Obtain training that will assist and enhance the foster parent’s ability to meet the needs of the children placed in their home.
Obtain information on:

What training requirements are free for foster parents.
What part the foster parents must acquire on their own.
A statement about who will be responsible for training fees, travel expenses, and associated childcare costs.

Be reimbursed in a timely manner for the care of children placed in their home, with the rates developed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Ask questions and obtain relevant information about the needs of a child DFPS would like to place in their home, including requesting a preplacement visit.
Decline a specific placement without the fear of negative repercussions.
The type and amount of support and services that are available to foster parents, including what support and services FAD will provide for babysitting, overnight care, and respite childcare services.
Be provided with support, training and oversight in order to ensure that the foster parents are in compliance, as applicable, with the Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies. See Subchapter W, Kinship Minimum Standards for relative or fictive kin foster homes.
Appeal actions and decisions that affect them, and know the procedures as described in 7740 Administrative Review.
Review their foster home record and request a copy of that record from their FAD specialist.

Responsibilities of Foster Parents

FAD staff must inform foster parents that they have the responsibility to:

Participate in service planning and implementing the service plan.
Obtain annual training as required by 26 TAC Chapter 749, Subchapter F, Division 7 of Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, Subchapter W, Division 2, for the Kinship Minimum Standards for Foster Homes, and inform FAD staff if they need assistance to find the required training (see 7520 Annual Training Requirements for Foster Parents and Child Placement Staff).
Communicate with DFPS or the single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent by phone, in person, or electronic means about the information listed below for the children placed in their home. Unless otherwise stated in Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, foster parents will communicate the following information as soon possible, but no later than 10 days after the event:

Admission, Review and Discharge or Dismissal (ARD) meetings and other important education information
Medical and psychological information
Behavioral issues and concerns

Report serious incidents as described in 26 TAC Chapter 749, Subchapter D, Division 1, Reporting Serious Incidents and Other Occurrences of Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies.
Ask questions and obtain information about children DFPS would like to place in their home, including requesting pre-placement visits.
Make decisions about normalcy activities for the children placed in their home, consistent with 26 TAC Chapter 749, Subchapter M, Division 7 of Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies and 26 TAC Chapter 749, Subchapter W, Division 5 of Minimum Standards for Relative or Fictive Kinship Foster Homes.
Report required information to FAD and Residential Child Care Regulations.
Comply with all applicable Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies to include Kinship Minimum Standards for Relative and Fictive Kinship Foster Homes.

7612 Supervisory Visits

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must routinely evaluate a foster home's on-going compliance with licensing rules (minimum standards). Supervisory visits ensure the safety of children in DFPS conservatorship and evaluate foster home compliance with minimum standards.

The FAD specialist must conduct visits to foster and adoptive homes verified within the last 12 months, according to the time frames listed below.

Type of Foster Home

Total Number of Home Visits Required (a combination of announced and unannounced)

Number of Unannounced Home Visits Required during Each Nonconsecutive 12-month Period

Frequency of Visits during Which All Household Members Must Be Present

Newly Verified Homes

(less than 12 months)

At least 10 monthly home visits per 12-month period

Three (nonconsecutive)

Quarterly

For homes waiting for placement, the FAD specialist must provide education to the foster parents and ensure that the home has remained safe and in compliance with minimum standards.

7612.1 Supervisory Visits: Unannounced Home Visits

CPS September 2026

An unannounced home visit is considered complete when there has been an unscheduled face-to-face contact in the home with:

One primary caregiver.
All children placed in the home who are involved in a DFPS case.

An unannounced home visit must also include a complete walk-through of the home.

Unannounced home visits must be spread out over the 12-month period. Only one of the required unannounced home visits may take place in a month immediately following a month in which an unannounced home visit was successfully completed. The visit schedule should vary such that foster parents are not reasonably able to predict the month, day, or time of the unannounced visit.

Type of Foster Home	Total Number of Home Visits Required (a combination of announced and unannounced)	Number of Unannounced Home Visits Required during Each Nonconsecutive 12-month Period	Frequency of Visits during Which All Household Members Must Be Present
Foster home verified for placement of children age three and younger (verified more than 12 months)	At least 10 monthly home visits per 12-month period	Three	Quarterly
Foster home verified for placement of children age four and older (verified more than 12 months)	Every other month (a minimum of six announced and unannounced home visits per 12-month period) Phone or email contact is required on months with no visit	Two	Twice a year
Pre-consummated adoptive home with adoptive placement	Every other month (a minimum of six announced and unannounced home visits per 12-month period) Phone or email contact is required on months with no visit	Two	Twice a year
Home on developmental plan or corrective action (due to noncompliance or investigation)	Minimum of monthly visits until conditions of plans are satisfied. Weekly to bimonthly visits may be necessary	Within 30 days of the plan's expiration	Quarterly

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must complete Form 2056 Foster Care and Adoption Supervisory Visit Documentation each time he or she conducts a supervisory visit to a foster home. This form must include:

The date of the visit.
The location of the visit.
Type of visit (announced or unannounced).
Indication whether all foster parents and all household members were present or not during the visit.
The names of all persons who were present during the visit.
Tasks completed during the home visit.
The signature of the FAD specialist conducting the visit and the signature of each foster parent present.

The FAD specialist must maintain detailed documentation of supervisory visits in IMPACT.

If a foster home is available for placement but does not currently have any children placed in the home, the FAD specialist still must continue to maintain all required monitoring and supervisory visits. The FAD specialist is not required to monitor or have supervisory visits with a home that is placed on inactive status.

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter N, §749.2815 to §749.2817

See:

7613 Foster Family Quarterly Assessment
7613.1 Time Frames for Documenting the Quarterly Assessment

7612.2 Supervisory Visits: Normalcy

CPS September 2026

Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) staff must ensure foster parents understand why normalcy (the ability of a child in care to live as normal a life as possible) is important in helping a child become independent and learn about making good decisions. Children in care should have normal interactions and experiences within a foster family and participate in foster family activities. Children in care should also participate in age and developmentally appropriate childhood activities.

Foster parents make decisions about a child's participation in childhood activities by using the reasonable and prudent parenting standard, TAC 749.2605, when making decisions about children in care participating in extracurricular (sports, yearbook staff, proms) and social (dating, going to the mall, overnight at friends) activities. It may be appropriate for foster parents and CPS or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) staff to discuss employment or driver’s education for a child in care. CPS or SSCC staff must approve the use of firearms for hunting purposes. In some circumstances, CPS or SSCC staff must also approve travel for a child in care.

See:

7613 Foster Family Quarterly Assessment

CPS September 2026

Purpose of the Quarterly Assessment

The quarterly assessment:

Provides documentation of the foster family's ability to meet the needs of the children placed in their home.
Identifies the foster family's strengths and development needs.
Evaluates the family's compliance with the Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2815(c)

Required Documentation

The documentation of the quarterly assessment must consist of:

Documentation of, or reference to, all visits to the home during a specified period of time.
Specific rules evaluated.
Evaluation results.
Deficiencies found.
Plans for achieving compliance.
Plans for follow-up to ensure compliance was achieved.
Any changes to the information in the foster home screening since the last supervisory visit, including the reasons for any change in the home's verification.

7613.1 Time Frames for Documenting the Quarterly Assessement

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must submit the quarterly assessment narrative to the supervisor and receive the supervisor's approval no later than the 30th day after the end of the quarterly period.

Once the quarterly assessment is approved, the FAD specialist must provide a copy to the foster parents.

7620 Evaluating Foster Home Compliance with Minimum Standars for Child-Placing Agencies

CPS September 2026

This section highlights licensing rules (minimum standards) related to foster home management and evaluation. The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must follow all minimum standards related to this subject, whether explicitly mentioned in this section or not.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter N

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter W

7621 Evaluating Foster Home Compliance

7621.1 When to Evaluate a Foster Home

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must evaluate a foster home for compliance with relevant minimum standards every two years.

The FAD specialist must also evaluate foster homes when one or more of the following occur:

There is an allegation of a deficiency with one or more minimum standards.
There is a major life change in the foster family.
There is a change that affects the condition of the verification (see 7622 Updating a Foster Home's Verification Certificate).
The FAD specialist receives a family violence report.

If the FAD specialist evaluates a foster home due to one of the situations above, the time frame for the evaluation for standards compliance does not change. The date only changes if the FAD specialist evaluates the foster home for compliance with all licensing rules that apply to the home at the same time as the specialist evaluates the home for one of the above situations.

Relative or Fictive Kin Foster Homes

The FAD specialist must annually evaluate the kinship foster home, from the date FAD verifies the relative or fictive kin home, to identify any areas of noncompliance with minimum standards. Annual evaluations must still be completed even if there are no areas of noncompliance.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2801 –749.2825

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter W, Division 2, §749.4429(a)

7621.2 Conducting Foster Home Evaluations

CPS September 2026

The verification date determines the foster home's first evaluation date for compliance with minimum standards, with subsequent evaluation dates spaced accordingly.

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must do one of the following:

Perform a rule-by-rule evaluation of the foster home once every two years.
Evaluate different parts of the applicable minimum standards at different times during the two-year period.

Regardless of the method chosen, the FAD specialist must use the same method for all evaluations within any given region.

During each evaluation, the FAD specialist must ensure that the foster home continues to meet all required minimum standards.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2801, 749.2807, and 749.2813

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter W, Division 2, §749.4429(a)

7621.3 Documenting Foster Home Evaluations

CPS September 2026

Regardless of the reason for the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist's evaluation of a foster home for compliance with minimum standards, the FAD specialist must specifically document the minimum standard rule sections that were evaluated and state whether or not the foster home is in compliance.

The FAD specialist must ensure that any noncompliances and any deficiencies are correctly cited, and immediately address noncompliance with the foster parents.

The FAD specialist must ensure that:

Documentation of deficiencies includes plans for achieving compliance.
A plan for follow-up to ensure compliance is documented.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2807–§749.2813

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter W, Division 2, §749.4429(a)

7621.4 Plans for Achieving Compliance and Follow-Up

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must include the following in all plans for achieving compliance with the minimum standards:

Specific actions or changes that must occur for the foster home to achieve compliance.
Time frames for the actions or changes that must occur for the foster home to achieve compliance, and the consequences for failing to achieve compliance.
A determination of whether children can remain in the home before it achieves compliance.
A determination of whether new placements can be made in the home before it achieves compliance.

To ensure that the home achieves compliance, the FAD specialist must do one of the following:

Reinspect the foster home.
Obtain documentation of the foster home’s corrected deficiencies and enter this information in the Quarterly Assessment in IMPACT.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2807–§749.2811

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter W, Division 2, §749.4429(a)

7621.5 Supervisor Approval

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) supervisor must review and approve all foster home evaluation summaries, including those for temporary verifications. If doing a rule-by-rule two-year evaluation, the FAD supervisor must document approval by the two-year evaluation due date.

7622 Updating a Foster Home's Verificataion Certificate

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must update a foster family's current verification certificate and evaluate the home for compliance with minimum standards, if a change occurs that affects the verification conditions.

26 TAC, Division 9, §749.2655 and Subchapter N, §749.2801–749.2811

Changes include, but are not limited to:

Marriage, divorce, separation, death, birth, or any other change in household composition.
A serious health problem or significant change in a work schedule that affects the foster parent's ability to care for the children.
Extended absences, such as a foster parent being placed on active-duty military service or accepting a job assignment in a different location from the foster home.

Single Foster Parent Marries

The FAD specialist must update the home screening if a single foster parent marries. The FAD specialist must complete the update before the marriage. However, if the foster parent did not notify the FAD specialist of the marriage, or if the notification was not received before the marriage ceremony, the FAD specialist must complete the update and preservice overview for the new spouse within 90 calendar days of becoming aware of the marriage.

7623 Inactive Foster Homes

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist may place a foster home on inactive status under certain circumstances. Those circumstances include, but are not limited to, situations in which:

There are no foster children in the home.
The FAD specialist documents in the home's record that the home is on inactive status and not accepting children for placement.
The FAD specialist and the foster parents reach a mutual agreement to place the home on inactive status.

The FAD specialist may not place a home on inactive status if the home should be closed.

See 7626.3 Closing a Foster Home.

The only exception to this policy is if a home is placed on inactive status for the purpose of receiving adoption assistance or Permanency Care Assistance (PCA).

7623.1 Documenting an Inactive Foster Home

CPS September 2026

Within two business days of placing a foster home on inactive status, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must:

Document the home's change of status on the quarterly assessment.
Change the home's status in IMPACT to Approved-Inactive.
Have Residential Child Care Regulation (RCCR) review changes in the foster home's verification status through the Child Care Licensing Automation Support System (CLASS).

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 3, §749.2489

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter W, Division 6, 749.4511

7623.2 Contact with an Inactive Foster Home

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist is not required to monitor a foster home that is on inactive status. However, the FAD specialist assigned to the home must contact the family at least once every six months to determine whether the foster parents wish to return their home to active status.

If, after one year of being on inactive status, the foster parents decide that they do not want their home to return to active status, the FAD specialist must change the home status to closed.

Before an inactive home can become active again, the assigned FAD specialist must:

Ensure that all background check requirements are complete.
Make an in-person home visit to assess the home for compliance with all applicable minimum standards.

The FAD specialist must document the home visit and assessments on the family's next Quarterly Assessment Narrative in IMPACT.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2815–749.2825

7623.21 Training Requiremnets for an Inactive Foster Home

CPS September 2026

If a foster home on inactive status is returning to active status, the foster parents may prorate their annual training requirement to consider the time during which their home was inactive. However, the foster home must be current on all required trainings prior to returning to active status. If a home remains on inactive status for more than one year, the foster parents must take at least eight (8) hours of preservice training each before the home is made active again, and children are placed. These training hours must come from the current approved Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) preservice curriculum.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2815–749.2825

Relative or Fictive Kin Foster Homes

If a relative or fictive kin foster home on inactive status is returning to active status, the foster parents must be current on all required trainings prior to returning to active status. Annual or pre-service training hours are not a requirement to activate the home again.

7623.22 Background Checks for Inactive Status Foster Homes

CPS September 2026

Background checks are not required for a foster home on inactive status. However, if the foster home is taken off inactive status, and it has been more than two years since the last background check for any person at the foster home for whom a check is required, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must request the background check before a child can be placed in the home.

The FAD specialist must pay particular attention to inactive status foster homes if name-based background checks are not kept current. If more than two years pass between name-based checks, the foster parent must submit to a new fingerprint-based background check before the home is taken off inactive status.

Best practice is for the FAD specialist to maintain background checks—name-based and Family and Protective Services (FPS) History Checks)—while a home is on inactive status.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Subchapter N, §749.2823

7624 If Foster Families Move

7624.1 If Foster Families Move Out of Region

CPS September 2026

If a verified foster family moves to a residence outside of its current DFPS region, and one or more children under DFPS conservatorship are placed in the home at the time of the move, the family may take the children with them.

Each child's respective conservatorship specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent must preapprove the region-to-region move before the actual move occurs.

The region in which the child was residing must transfer supervision and responsibility for the foster home to Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) staff in the new region.

If a family is moving to a new region with a child in care, the newly assigned FAD specialist must ensure that a temporary verification is issued when the family arrives. DFPS must not place additional children in the home until the home is issued a full verification at the new residence.

The previous FAD specialist must provide the foster family's case record to the newly assigned FAD specialist.

If a family is moving to a region for which there is no FAD program, the FAD specialist must inform the family that they must work with a private child-placing agency in the receiving region to plan for temporary and ongoing verification.

Once the family selects a child-placing agency in the new region, and the FAD specialist is contacted by that agency and receives the family’s written release of information, the FAD specialist provides copies of the family’s FAD case record to the family’s selected child-placing agency.

FAD, the CPS conservatorship specialist or SSCC equivalent, the foster family, and the new child-placing agency must carefully coordinate to assure that the child remains in placement with a licensed child-placing agency during the move.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 4, §749.2520–§749.2539

7624.2 If Foster Families Move Out of State

CPS September 2026

If a foster family moves out of Texas, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must close the foster home. If the foster family wishes to foster in another state, they must meet the foster home requirements for their new state of residence.

After receiving the foster family's written release of information, the FAD specialist must provide a copy of the family's foster home case record to the family's newly selected child-placing agency.

If a foster family is moving out of Texas and wishes to continue caring for a child who is under DFPS conservatorship and was placed in their home before the move, DFPS must follow the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC).

For more information on ICPC placements, see 4513.6 If a Texas Caregiver Moves to Another State.

It may become necessary to create a FAD stage for a home located outside of Texas if:

A foster family is moving out of Texas.
The family wishes to continue caring for a child under DFPS conservatorship.
The child was placed in their home before the move.
It is in the child's best interest to move with the foster family.

It may also become necessary to create a FAD stage for a home located outside of Texas if an ICPC request from Texas DFPS results in the home being verified to foster, or approved to adopt, in the family's state of residence.

Before setting up a FAD stage in IMPACT for a caregiver living outside of Texas, the FAD supervisor must ensure the following were received and are easily accessible in the child's SUB stage under the applicable Placement Request (100A):

The verified or approved home screening completed by the other state verifying all background checks were completed, including the FBI, state criminal check, and abuse or neglect check.
A copy of the family's foster care license or verification certificate.

Not all states issue a foster care license or verification certificate. Therefore, it may be necessary to ask the other state to provide a statement verifying the family:

Is an approved adoptive home in that state.
Is a verified foster home in that state.
Meets that state's foster home licensing standards and has completed all required background checks, including FBI, state criminal check, and abuse or neglect checks.

Information required for setting up the Non-DFPS FAD stage in IMPACT is provided to FAD by the conservatorship specialist or SSCC equivalent using Form 2189 Referral to FAD or SSCC for Non-DFPS Home. For instructions on how to certify a new FAD home in IMPACT, see IMPACT Help for Certify a New Home.

7625 Temporary Verifications

CPS September 2026

Temporary verifications allow a foster family that moves to a new home, or that moves a mobile home to a new location, to continue caring for foster children who were placed in their verified home before the move. Temporary verifications are short-term, nonrenewable, and may only be issued for a maximum of six months. They provide foster families with a period of time to obtain all required health and fire inspections and to comply with all applicable minimum standards at their new residence.

Foster families who receive temporary verifications are expected to obtain all required inspections as soon as practical after their move. They may not receive any new placements during the time that they are under a temporary verification.

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must evaluate the foster home if a foster family moves to a new residence or relocates a mobile home. The FAD specialist must ensure the family submits a new floor plan of the home, along with sketches or photos of the outside areas showing buildings, driveways, fences, storage areas, gardens, recreation areas, pools, ponds, or other bodies of water.

The FAD specialist must not provide a verified home with a temporary verification if there are no placements in the home at the time of the move. The FAD specialist cannot use temporary verifications to change verification conditions of the home, such as the number, ages, or genders of children placed, or services provided.

The FAD specialist may only issue a temporary verification after he or she:

Inspects the new residence.
Determines that the new residence meets the minimum standards, including all health and safety, environment, space, and equipment standards.
Reviews and approves the temporary verification by signing and dating it.

If all minimum standards have been met, the FAD specialist must document in the home's quarterly assessment that it is no longer under temporary verification.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 4, §749.2520–749.2531

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subchapter W, Division 6, §749.4515

7626 Development Plans and Documenting Failure to Comply with Minimum Standards

7626.1 Development Plans

CPS September 2026

During all home visits, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must evaluate a foster family's need for skill enhancement to help them build their foster parenting skills. This need for skill enhancement is often referred to as a developmental need.

If the FAD specialist identifies a developmental need for a family, such as more childhood development training, the FAD specialist must document it on the family's quarterly assessment and discuss it with the family. The discussion with the family must cover the need for a Development Plan.

The FAD specialist and the FAD supervisor consult to determine the need for a Development Plan. The Development Plan identifies tasks that will help the family enhance their foster parenting skills. The FAD specialist must create the plan in IMPACT and include:

Family strengths.
Skills to be enhanced.
A task list for foster parents and time frames for completing the tasks.
A task list for the FAD specialist and time frames for completing the tasks.

The FAD supervisor and FAD specialist must sign the Development Plan. The FAD specialist must discuss the plan with the family and provide a copy to them for review and signature. The FAD specialist must file the original, signed document in the family's case record.

The FAD specialist must review and discuss the family's Development Plan during subsequent supervisory visits, until the tasks listed on the Development Plan are completed, and the FAD specialist and FAD supervisor determine that a Development Plan is no longer necessary.

The FAD specialist must document the family's progress in completing the Development Plan tasks on the family's Quarterly Assessment Narrative.

7626.2 Failure to Comply with Minimum Standards

CPS September 2026

Failure to comply with a minimum standard in 26 TAC Chapter 749, Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies is also referred to as an infraction, a violation, or a deficiency.

7626.21 Failure to Comply with Minimum Standars or Other Licensing Rule

CPS September 2026

If a Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist identifies a failure to comply with minimum standards or another licensing rule during a supervisory visit or other contact with the family, the FAD specialist must immediately:

Address it with the foster family.
Complete the Violation Document in IMPACT.

The FAD specialist must discuss the violation with the FAD supervisor to determine whether a Corrective Action Plan or Developmental Plan should be issued in conjunction with the Violation Document. If the family is able to correct the violation immediately, there may be no need for either.

After completing the Violation Document in IMPACT, the FAD specialist must provide a copy to the foster family.

7626.22 Corrective Acttions Plans

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must create a Corrective Action Plan in IMPACT if he or she determines that a violation of minimum standards, other licensing rule, or DFPS policy has occurred, and that the family needs assistance in correcting the noncompliance.

The FAD specialist must provide the foster family an opportunity to participate in developing and updating their Corrective Action Plan in combination with the FAD specialist.

The Corrective Action Plan must list specific tasks for the foster family to complete within a specified time frame. The FAD supervisor and FAD specialist must sign the Corrective Action Plan. The FAD specialist must discuss the plan with the family and provide a copy to them for review and signature. The FAD specialist must file the original, signed document in the family's case record.

The FAD specialist must review the plan's tasks with the family at least once a month during subsequent supervisory home visits in order to evaluate their progress, until the tasks listed on the Corrective Action Plan are completed by the date of resolution.

Examples of a Corrective Action Plan are:

The foster parents must complete two additional trainings on positive reinforcement.
A fire inspection must be completed on the home within 30 days.

See the Foster and Adoptive Home (FAD) Resource Guide, under “Guidelines for Corrective Action and Closure.”

7626.23 Serious Incidents

CPS September 2026

A serious incident is a nonroutine occurrence that has, or may have, dangerous or significant consequences to the child's care, supervision, or treatment. Some examples of serious incidents include, but are not limited to:

A child's death.
A child's critical injury or illness requiring treatment by a medical professional or hospitalization.
Allegations of abuse or neglect of a child.
A child's sexual abuse of another child.
A child's physical abuse of another child.
A child's arrest, charge, or indictment for a crime (excluding traffic tickets).

Foster parents must report any serious incident directly to the Statewide Intake Hotline, 1-800-252-5400, if the incident involves a child under the foster parent's care.

Once the FAD specialist becomes aware of the serious incident, he or she must complete Form 3005 Serious Incident Report and forward it, along with any required documentation as described in 26 TAC Subchapter D, Division 1, §749.513, to the regional Residential Child Care Regulation (RCCR) representative.

The FAD specialist maintains a copy of each Serious Incident Report form in the foster family’s case record.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 1, §794.501–749.515

7626.3 Closing a Foster Home

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must close a verified foster home under certain circumstances. Those circumstances include, but are not limited to, situations in which:

The foster parent repeatedly fails to comply with agency policy or corrective action plans.
The foster parent refuses or repeatedly fails to comply with minimum standards.
The foster parent refuses to allow the FAD specialist to inspect the home, and the FAD specialist and supervisor determine the foster home is not currently appropriate to meet the needs of a child in DFPS conservatorship.

If the FAD specialist decides to close a verified foster home, the FAD specialist must do as follows:

Discuss the reasons for closure with the foster parents.
Inform the foster parents orally, and in writing, that before closure, they have the right to request:

An unbiased administrative review of the decision, or
A peer review, if the foster parents choose to waive the right to an administrative review.

The FAD specialist writes a detailed closing summary regarding the reasons for closure. Refer to §749.2497 for the contents and requirements of the closing summary.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 3, §749.2497

See:

If necessary, the FAD specialist, conservatorship specialist, or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent may remove any child in DFPS conservatorship from the home before the administrative or peer review.

7626.4 Foster Families That Adopt

CPS September 2026

Verified foster parents are not required to complete a new Parenting Application or submit to an Adoptive Home Screening when they begin adoption of a foster child. Their foster home screening can instead be updated to address all adoption requirements in the Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 2, §749.3623

7626.5 Supervising Children Receiving Treatment Services

CPS September 2026

DFPS does not verify foster homes that care for children receiving treatment services. However, if a child develops a need for treatment services after placement, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must immediately consult with the FAD supervisor to determine an appropriate plan of action.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 2, §749.61(2)

7630 Developing and Supervising the Adoptive Home

7631 Supervising the Adoptive Home

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must have, at a minimum, quarterly contact with all approved, adoptive homes on his or her caseload that are still awaiting adoptive placements. These contacts must be spaced accordingly, so that no more than three months lapses between contacts. The contact may be by letter, telephone or in person. Face-to-face, in-home contacts are required once every six months.

The purpose of the contact is to provide support, education, and training about:

Attachment to adoptive children.
Parenting issues and concerns.
Children available for adoption.
Children with special needs.
Efforts made to present the family as available adoptive parents.

Before making an adoptive placement, the FAD specialist must ensure that a child is presented to the prospective adoptive family in accordance with 6940 Presenting and Placing the Child for Adoption and 6941 Presenting Information About the Child.

The FAD specialist must be available to the adoptive family before and after an adoptive placement and assist in preparing the adoptive family for placement in accordance with 6943 Preparing the Family and the Child for Placement. When an adoptive placement is made, the assigned FAD specialist must assist with, and ensure that, all tasks are completed at the time of the child's placement, as described in 6944 Completing the Placement.

After placement, the FAD specialist must provide support to the adoptive home through monthly contacts and bimonthly face-to-face contacts. The FAD specialist must maintain face-to-face contact every month with the adoptive family.

The FAD specialist must ensure that she or he is available to address any questions, concerns, or suggestions that the adoptive family may have. However, CPS conservatorship staff or the single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent will actually supervise the adoptive placement until consummation.

The FAD specialist must document all contacts with the adoptive family in IMPACT.

See:

For additional guidance on post-placement adoptive home supervision and post-adoption services, see:

7612 Supervisory Visits
Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 6, §749.3421 – §749.3431 and Division 7, §749.3461 – §749.3465

7632 Homes for Legal Risk Placements

CPS September 2026

Some homes function as both a verified foster home and an approved adoptive home for children in DFPS conservatorship. These homes are verified and approved for the purpose of receiving placements of children whose permanency plan is adoption, but whose parental rights have not yet been terminated. Some foster parents may also decide to adopt a child that has been in their care once the child is available for adoption, while continuing to foster other children.

Foster-to-adopt placements that are made before termination of parental rights are considered legal risk placements. In these instances, the child is initially placed in a home to receive foster care, but after termination of parental rights, the intent is for the child to achieve permanency through adoption in that same home.

See 6900 Adoption Preparation and Support Services.

Foster parents willing to accept legal risk placements must sign Form 2209 Foster Parent Agreement at the time of verification. The form specifies that DFPS may remove a child from the home if it determines it is in the child's best interest.

Before submitting the family for the consideration of a legal risk placement, the FAD specialist must have previously determined the type of child the family is best able to parent. Characteristics to consider should include the child's age, gender, and special needs.

Children Eligible for Legal Risk Placement

Children who fall into any of the categories below could be considered appropriate for legal risk placement:

Abandoned infants for whom there is no information identifying the parents.
Children who are the subject of a parental rights termination suit, and the attorney representing DFPS advises that there is a high probability that the court will grant termination on both biological parents because:

One parent is deceased or has relinquished rights, and the other parent is unknown.
Parental rights were previously terminated for the abuse or neglect of another child.
The child has previously been removed, was returned home, and then re-entered foster care because of an additional incident of abuse or neglect.
A parent who is the subject of the parental termination suit is the child's primary abuser.
A parent failed to protect a child from serious injury or death as a result of abuse inflicted by the other parent, who is the subject of a parental termination suit.

Children in cases where parental rights have been terminated, but the parents have filed an appeal.
Children for whom the court has ordered that an adoptive family must be selected before the parent's rights can be terminated.
Children whose siblings have already been placed for adoption.
Children for whom the permanency plan is adoption, but who have not yet been placed in an adoptive placement.
Children whose parents (alleged and presumed) have abandoned them, the children have been in DFPS's temporary managing conservatorship for at least six months, and:

DFPS made reasonable efforts to reunite the child with the parent.
The parent has not visited or maintained contact with the child.
The parent has demonstrated an inability to provide the child with a safe environment.
Termination of the parent’s parental rights is in the child's best interest.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 1 §749.3201 and Division 2 §749.3221

7633 Inactive Adoptive Homes

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist may place an adoptive home on inactive status because of a mutual agreement between the adoptive family and FAD.

This policy does not apply to homes placed on inactive status only for the purpose

7633.1 Contact with an Inactive Adoptimve Home

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist assigned to an adoptive home on inactive status is required to have contact with that family at least once every six months to determine whether the adoptive parents wish to return their home to active status.

If the adoptive parents decide after one year of being on inactive status that they do not want their home to return to active status, the FAD specialist must close the active status of the home.

The exception to this policy is if a home is placed on inactive status for the purpose of receiving adoption assistance.

7634 Closing an Adoptive Home

CPS September 2026

If a Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist and supervisor decide to place an adoptive home in close status, the specialist must discuss the reasons for closure with the adoptive parents. The FAD specialist must provide the adoptive family with the reasons for closure, both orally and in writing, and inform the family they have the option to request an administrative review. Reasons an adoptive home may be placed in closed status include, but are not limited to:

An incident of abuse or neglect occurs in the home that warrants a child's removal.
The adoptive family is not willing to adopt a child from the population of children for whom adoptive families are needed.
The FAD specialist and supervisor determine the adoptive home is not currently appropriate to meet the needs of a child in DFPS conservatorship.

The FAD specialist, conservatorship specialist, or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent may remove any child in DFPS conservatorship from the home before the administrative review.

7640 DFPS Policies That Exceed Minimum Standards

7641 Water Safety and Swimming Activities

CPS September 2026

Verified homes that provide foster care services, including foster homes that are also approved adoptive homes, are required to comply with specific minimum standards related to water safety and swimming activities.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 7, §749.3131–749.3151

Adoptive homes that do not provide foster care services are not required to adhere to these minimum standards.

7641.1 Water Safety and Swimming Activities

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure all foster and adoptive parents, with verified and approved homes, adhere to certain basic water safety requirements as follows:

They must supervise children under the age of five or those children who have specific water safety needs due to physical or cognitive impairments, or as indicated in the children’s plans of service, at all times, when the children are in the bathtub.
They must successfully complete an approved water safety course, when they have a pool or other body of water on their property. Relative or fictive kinship foster homes are not required to take water safety training. However, the FAD specialist should encourage a relative or fictive kinship foster family to participate in a water safety booklet and water safety standard review, if there is a swimming pool, hot tub, or body of water on or near the property.
They must ensure that:

Children's toys are kept away from a pool that is not in use.
A telephone is always kept by the pool when in use, in case of an emergency.

Although there are no applicable minimum standards for adoptive homes, the above water policy requirements still apply.

7642 Disaster Planning and Procedures for Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) Placements

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that foster and adoptive parents caring for children in DFPS conservatorship are aware that in the event of a disaster, they must notify their FAD specialist of the disaster as soon as possible. Disasters requiring notification include, but are not limited to:

Fires
Floods
Tornados
Hurricanes

The FAD specialist must inform foster and adoptive parents caring for children in DFPS conservatorship that they are required to evacuate their homes if mandated by local city or county authorities.

The FAD specialist must ensure that foster and adoptive families with current placements are aware that they must take the following items when evacuating:

A two-week supply of medication in its bottle, if applicable
Other medical supplies and equipment (such as a first aid kit and glasses)
Important paperwork (such as placement and medical authorizations, educational portfolio, and Medicaid card) for each child
Form 2288 Disaster Plan for DFPS Foster and Adoptive Homes
Contact information for the family and child's conservatorship specialists and supervisors or single source continuum (SSCC) equivalents.

7642.1 Disaster Plan Practice

CPS September 2026

A foster home must practice disaster plans annually.

The foster home does this by:

Discussing the plans and procedures for handling fire and weather emergencies with children in care.
Conducting a fire drill, so children are able to safely exit the foster home within three minutes.
Conducting a severe weather drill.

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that the foster home can provide documentation of the discussion and drills, including the date and time of each.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.2908

7642.2 Documenting Disaster Plans for Foster and Adoptive Homes

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure all foster and adoptive homes caring for children under DFPS conservatorship have a written disaster plan on file. The FAD specialist supplies each family making disaster plans with the Ready Emergency Supply List pamphlet developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Form 2288 Disaster Plan for DFPS Foster and Adoptive Homes was developed to ensure that all foster and adoptive homes caring for children in DFPS conservatorship are prepared and have evacuation plans in the event of an emergency. The FAD specialist must ensure all foster and adoptive homes caring for children in DFPS conservatorship complete Form 2288 as follows:

At the time of verification.
Annually.
At each re-evaluation.
Any time the information provided on Form 2288 changes (within two weeks of the change).

The FAD specialist must enter information from the completed form into the family's electronic case file.

7642.3 Disaster Procedures for FAD Specialists

CPS September 2026

When local staff prepares for or is affected by a disaster, the director of field may assign the responsibilities below to alternate staff.

FAD Specialist Responsibilities during an Emergency Advisory or Disaster

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must follow specific procedures during an emergency advisory or declared disaster to ensure the safety and well-being of children in DFPS conservatorship (CVS). Such events include the following:

Hurricane
Flooding
Wildfires
Tornadoes
Other severe weather

Within 24 hours of an emergency advisory or declaration by local, county, state, or federal officials, the FAD specialist must ensure that DFPS foster home placement logs are accurate in IMPACT. FAD contacts the CVS specialist or supervisor or single source continuum (SSCC) equivalents to correct any inaccuracies found on the placement logs.

In an evacuation, foster or adoptive parents check in with DFPS by calling the Statewide Intake Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 within 24 hours. The foster or adoptive parents are asked to provide the following information:

Evacuation location.
Current contact information for the foster or adoptive parents.
Names and birth dates of DFPS children in their care.
Children’s condition.

Following an evacuation, the FAD specialist must also contact the family and document information in IMPACT. The FAD specialist contacts the foster and adoptive families to do the following:

Discuss a tentative return date.
Inquire about each child’s condition.
Follow up with any issues that arose during the evacuation.

If a family fails to make the required notification to DFPS and is unable to be contacted, the FAD specialist must attempt to reach the family’s emergency contacts to determine the family’s whereabouts.

Caregivers must also complete and submit Form 3005, Serious Incident Report to the assigned FAD specialist.

The FAD specialist must update the supervisor on efforts to contact all foster and adoptive families with current child placements that were unable to be contacted or did not notify the hotline.

FAD Supervisor Responsibilities

After gathering relevant information from the FAD specialist, the FAD supervisor must contact the FAD program director to provide an update on each foster or adoptive family’s evacuation process.

FAD Program Director Responsibilities

The FAD program director must ensure that the director of field is kept informed of all contacts with foster and adoptive families.

7643 Soliciting Funds

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must inform foster parents that they are prohibited from soliciting funds (asking for money or gifts) outside of DFPS that provide a material gain to the individual foster parent. DFPS considers solicitation of such funds unethical and potentially undermining DFPS's reputation in the community.

However, the FAD specialist must inform foster parents that they may use outside resources that benefit all foster parents or families, such as the Women Infant Children (WIC) Program and the school lunch program. Funds solicited by individual foster parents may have state or federal tax implications and are generally not viewed as reimbursable expenses incurred as a result of caring for a foster child.

Although DFPS prohibits individual foster parents from soliciting funds that provide a material gain, the foster parents may accept from churches, religious, or community organizations unsolicited items that benefit children in care, such as clothing, toys, or furniture items.

Foster parents must solicit and access corporate and foundation funds or resources through DFPS-organized activities on the local, regional, or state level. Examples of DFPS-organized access to funds or resources include, but are not limited to:

Child welfare boards
Community partners activities
Local foster parent associations
Local chapters of the Council on Adoptable Children (COAC)

The FAD specialist must remind foster parents to protect the confidentiality of children under their care and take precautions to prevent disclosing confidential information to community and corporate organizations. Releasing confidential information about a child in DFPS conservatorship violates federal and state confidentiality laws and may subject the foster parent to criminal prosecution.

7644 Weapons, Firearms, Explosive Materials, and Projectiles

CPS February 2026

Foster or adoptive parents may keep weapons, firearms, explosive materials, and projectiles (such as darts or arrows) in the home if they meet the following requirements.

7644.1 Firearms

CPS February 2026

DFPS must not do any of the following:

Document any inventory list of firearms in foster or adoptive homes.
Develop a list or registry of firearms that are present.
Require foster or adoptive parents to disclose or list the specific types of firearms or notify DFPS about additions or changes in the types or number.

If DFPS obtains information related to the type of firearm present, that information may only be used to determine whether a firearm is present and whether the child does not have unsupervised access to it.

The FAD specialist documents only the following:

Whether a firearm is present.
Observations of storage methods.
Whether the firearm is inaccessible to children except under adult supervision.

When a firearm is present, the FAD specialist must observe and document safe, compliant storage at every home visit.

7644.2 Storage

CPS February 2026

Foster and adoptive parents must keep weapons, firearms, explosive materials, projectiles, and ammunition in locked storage when not in use to ensure that children do not have unsupervised access to these items. The locked storage must be made of strong, unbreakable material.

When assessing storage adequacy, the FAD specialist must consider the age, history, emotional maturity, and background of each child in the care of the foster home.

Inoperable, ornamental firearms are exempt from storage requirements. The FAD specialist must determine how the firearm is inoperable and document only the presence of the firearm — not its type. If operability is uncertain, the FAD specialist must require the item to be stored in locked storage.

7644.3 Usage

CPS February 2026

Foster or adoptive parents may allow a child to use a weapon, firearm, explosive material, or projectile only when both of the following are true:

Before usage, the service planning team assesses appropriateness, denies or approves the use, and documents both the assessment and the approval or denial in the child’s service plan.
An adult knowledgeable about the item directly supervises the child during use.

A child’s use of a weapon, firearm, explosive material, or projectile must follow 6451 Hunting and the Texas Administrative Code 749.2605 (reasonable and prudent parent standard).

7644.4 Toys That Explode or Shoot

CPS February 2026

A child may use or be around a toy that explodes or shoots if all of the following apply:

Before usage, the service planning team assesses appropriateness, documents appropriateness in the plan of service, and approves the use of the item.
During usage, an adult directly supervises the child.
The toy is age-appropriate for the child.

The FAD specialist must continue to observe and document safe and compliant storage of these items that are present in the home.

A “toy that explodes or shoots” does not include Nerf guns, water guns, or similar toys that are age-appropriate and pose no safety risk.

7644.5 Transporting a Child in Care in a Vehicle Where Weapons, Firearms, Explosive Materials or Projectiles Are Present

CPS February 2026

A caregiver may transport a child in care in a vehicle where a handgun is present if both of the following apply:

The handgun is in the possession and control of the caregiver.
The caregiver is not prohibited by law from carrying a handgun.

For all other weapons, firearms, explosive materials, or projectiles, transportation of a child in care with these items is permitted if all of the following apply:

All firearms are unloaded.
The firearms, other weapons, explosive materials, or projectiles are inaccessible to the child in care.
Possession of the weapon, firearm, explosive material, or projectile is legal.

7644.6 Annual Evaluations

CPS February 2026

During the annual evaluation, the FAD specialist must discuss whether the home has firearms, weapons, explosive materials, or projectiles, as well as how these items are stored.

7645 Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention

7645.1 Suicide Prevention and Intervention Training

CPS September 2026

Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialists and leadership must complete one hour of suicide prevention and intervention training annually.

FAD foster parents must complete one hour of suicide prevention and intervention training during preservice training and every two years thereafter.

The curriculum for the suicide prevention and intervention training includes:

Risk factors, protective factors, and warning signs of suicide
Understanding safety planning
Understanding suicide screening

DFPS must promote suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention training for nonemployees, as appropriate.

FAD specialists and FAD parents may administer the Ask Suicide Screening Questions (ASQ) Youth Suicide Risk Screening Tool only after they have completed the training.

Relative and Fictive Kin Foster Homes

FAD must ensure relative and fictive kinship foster parents who are verified to care for children five years old or older complete at least one hour of suicide prevention training within one year of being verified and every two years thereafter.

7645.2 Suicide Risk Screening

CPS September 2026

When to Administer the Screening

For children receiving foster care services, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist or FAD foster parent must administer the Ask Suicide Screening Questions (ASQ) Youth Suicide Risk Screening Tool at the following times:

For each child age 10 or older—at admission into the foster home and again every 90 days after admission.
For any child younger than age 10 who has a history of suicide attempts or suicidal thoughts—at admission into the foster home and any time when the child’s parent, foster parent, adoptive parent, or DFPS requests it.
For any child of any age in foster care or in an adoptive placement—immediately, if the child exhibits warning signs that necessitate a suicide screening, including when requested by the foster parent or adoptive parent.

How to Administer the Screening

The screening must be documented in the child’s case record. It must be performed in a manner that protects the child’s privacy. The screening must be administered verbally (not in writing); it may be in person, by phone, or by video.

How to Use the Results of the Screening

The screening finds the child to be at high risk for suicide if the child answers “yes” to any of the questions on the screening.

If the child answers “yes” to question 1, 2, 3, or 4 (but not to question 5) on the ASQ Youth Suicide Risk Screening Tool, the following steps must occur immediately:

The FAD specialist or FAD parent must refer the child to a mental health professional for a suicide risk assessment.
The FAD specialist and FAD parent must develop a suicide prevention and intervention plan (as described in 7645.3 Suicide Prevention and Intervention Planning).

If the child answers “yes” to question 5 on the ASQ Youth Suicide Risk Screening Tool, the following steps must occur immediately:

The FAD specialist or FAD parent must make sure the child receives medical attention within 24 hours.
The FAD specialist and FAD parent must develop a suicide prevention and intervention plan as described in 7645.3 Suicide Prevention and Intervention Planning.

7645.3 Suicide Prevention and Intervention Planning

CPS September 2026

A suicide prevention and intervention plan is an agreement between a Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist and FAD parents that is implemented to make sure that a child in DFPS conservatorship is safe while waiting for a formal suicide risk assessment from a mental health professional.

When a suicide prevention and intervention plan is required, the FAD specialist and FAD parent must use Form 3002 Suicide Prevention and Intervention Plan to make the plan. The plan must be documented in the child’s case record.

The FAD specialist and FAD parents must sign the suicide prevention and intervention plan to signify their agreement to complete the action items. The plan ends when a mental health professional completes a suicide risk assessment.

7645.4 Returning Post-Hospitalization

CPS September 2026

To ensure the child’s readiness to return to the foster or adoptive home following a mental health crisis (for example, a suicide attempt or psychiatric hospitalization), the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must meet with the child within 24 hours of the child’s arrival to the home to discuss protocols that would:

Help to ease the child’s transition into the home after hospitalization.
Ensure the child’s safety.
Reduce any risk of suicide.

The protocols must include all of the following:

Conducting weekly suicide risk screenings for the first 30 days or until the child is no longer reporting suicidal thoughts, whichever is longer. These must be documented in the child’s case record.
Creating, or reviewing and updating, the child’s suicide prevention and intervention plan. The plan must be documented in the child’s case record.
Removing any harmful objects, chemicals, or substances that the child could use to carry out a suicide attempt or self-harm. The child’s treatment team determines for how long these items will be removed, but the time period must be at least 30 days.
Alerting anyone responsible for the child’s care or supervision of the new protocols and the new or updated suicide prevention and intervention plan. The FAD specialist alerts people of these.

7645.5 Postvention Protocols and Support

CPS September 2026

After a Child’s Death by Suicide

If a child in DFPS conservatorship dies by suicide, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) program director, FAD supervisor, or other staff members designated by the regional director must do as follows:

Contact the regional CPS mental health specialist (see the CPS Mental Health webpage on the DFPS intranet) and regional CPS trauma-informed care specialist (see the CPS Trauma-Informed Care webpage on the DFPS intranet) for mental health resources and community resources for the FAD specialist, FAD parents, and children in the home who have a difficult time coping. These resources may include the following:

Opportunities to debrief to process thoughts and feelings related to the suicide death.
Referrals to grief counseling and survivor support groups, to the extent possible.

Review protocols in the DFPS Child Fatality Protocol Handbookand make sure FAD staff cooperates with any related investigation.
Contact the FAD parents and FAD specialist within 24 hours after learning of the child’s death and schedule a meeting that will occur within seven business days. This meeting with the FAD family must occur in the FAD home. This meeting should do the following:

Not glamorize the child or death, even unintentionally.
Occur in a setting that allows the FAD program director, FAD supervisor, other designated staff members, or a combination of these people to monitor responses of people in the home.
Strive to treat all deaths in the same way.
Emphasize the importance of seeking help for anyone with a mental health diagnosis.
Emphasize the importance of recognizing the warning signs of suicide.
Decrease the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health concerns.
Review lessons learned from the child’s death by suicide in a manner that does not blame anyone.

Make sure that the FAD specialist reports and documents the child’s death as a serious incident, as required by minimum standards—26 TAC, Division 1, §749.503(a)(1) and 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.513(1).
Consider placing the home on inactive status for at least six months if no other children are currently placed in the FAD home. If other children are already placed in the FAD home, consider not allowing any new placements for at least six months.

After a Child’s Suicide Attempt

If a child in DFPS conservatorship attempts suicide, the FAD program director, FAD supervisor, or other staff members designated by the regional director must do as follows:

Contact the regional CPS mental health specialist (see the CPS Mental Health webpage on the DFPS intranet) and regional CPS trauma-informed care specialist (see the CPS Trauma-Informed Care webpage on the DFPS intranet) for mental health resources and community resources for the FAD specialist, FAD parents, and children in the home who have a difficult time coping. These resources may include the following:

Opportunities to debrief to process thoughts and feelings related to the suicide attempt.
Referrals to community services and other resources.

Contact the FAD parents and FAD specialist within 24 hours after learning of the child’s suicide attempt and schedule a meeting that will occur within seven business days. At this meeting, participants should review lessons learned from the child’s suicide attempt in a manner that does not blame anyone.
Make sure that the FAD specialist reports and documents the suicide attempt as a serious incident, as required by minimum standards (26 TAC, Division 1, §749.503(a)(12), 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.511, and 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.513(1)).
Consider not allowing any new placements in the home for at least six months.

7700 Investigations in Foster Family and

CPS September 2026

The Statewide Intake Hotline receives two types of investigative reports on foster and adoptive homes. These are reports of abuse or neglect, alleging that a child in care was or may be harmed. Such harm must meet the definitions of abuse or neglect, as described in Section 261.001 of the Texas Family Code.

7710 Abuse and Neglect

CPS September 2026

Residential Child Care Regulation (RCCR) investigates all allegations of abuse and neglect of a child in DFPS conservatorship who is placed in a verified foster or approved adoptive home.

Upon notification from RCCR of an abuse or neglect investigation in a foster or adoptive home, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must complete Form 3005 Serious Incident Report and submit it to RCCR.

Texas Family Code, §261.401(b)

7711 Allegations and Incidents That Licensing Must Investigate

CPS September 2026

Residential Child Care Regulation (RCCR) staff must always investigate:

Allegations of abuse and neglect of children in DFPS conservatorship.
The death of a child in DFPS conservatorship.
Allegations involving the child-placing agency or CPS staff.
History of family violence calls regarding a verified foster home.
Any reportable serious incident or reported violation of minimum standards involving a child, under the age of six, who is in DFPS conservatorship.

Texas Human Resources Code §42.044(e)(2)-(3)

7720 Minimum Standards Violations

CPS September 2026

Upon Residential Child Care Regulation’s (RCCR’s) request, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must investigate reports of minimum standards’ violations in homes that DFPS has verified to foster and approved to adopt.

FAD staff must complete, approve, and submit the investigation to RCCR within 30 days of being assigned to investigate.

7730 Safety Plans

CPS September 2026

A safety plan is a voluntary agreement between a child-placing agency (CPA) and Residential Child Care Regulation (RCCR), implemented to ensure that a child in DFPS conservatorship is safe while an RCCR investigation is underway.

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must implement a safety plan with foster or adoptive parents, upon request from RCCR.

Safety plans list specific action items for the foster or adoptive parents and FAD specialist to complete. The foster or adoptive parents and FAD specialist can co-create these action items, which are designed to ensure immediate safety for children in care.

The FAD specialist and foster or adoptive parents must sign the safety plan to signify their agreement to complete the action items. The safety plan ends when the RCCR investigation closes, and the home complies with all required actions.

7740 Administrative Review

CPS September 2026

A foster or adoptive applicant or parent has the right to:

Request an administrative review to challenge the denial of an application for or closure of a foster or adoptive home.
Request a copy of and review the records related to the decision before the administrative review.

Applicant or Parent Has 15 Days to Request an Administrative Review

The applicant or parent receives a letter notifying him or her of the adverse action. If the applicant or parent wants to request an administrative review and a copy of the records, he or she must complete the form attached to the letter and return the form to the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist within 15 calendar days after receiving the letter. If the applicant or parent submits the form more than 15 calendar days after receiving the notification letter, the FAD specialist may schedule the review if the specialist determines good reason exists for the delay.

Applicant or Parent Requests Copy of Records

If the applicant or parent also requests a copy of the records, the FAD specialist must request records from the Records Management Group, using the STARRS Portal. See the Foster and Adoptive Home (FAD) Resource Guide, under Producing FAD Administrative Review Records for Foster and Adoptive Parents.

The FAD specialist does not schedule a review until the applicant or parent notifies the FAD specialist that he or she received the records. The applicant or parent must notify the FAD specialist within 15 calendar days after receiving the records in order for an administrative review to be conducted. If the applicant or parent notifies the FAD specialist more than 15 calendar days after receiving the records, the FAD specialist may schedule the review if the specialist determines good reason exists for the delay.

Review Date

If the applicant or parent does not request a copy of the records, the review must be conducted within 30 calendar days of the FAD specialist receiving the request for a review. If the applicant or parent requests a copy of the records, the review must be conducted within 30 calendar days of the applicant or parent notifying the FAD specialist that he or she received the records.

The Administrative Review

A program director or individual designated by the CPS program administrator conducts the administrative review.

The administrative review is not a formal hearing and does not include a formal examination and cross-examination of witnesses. However, during the review, the foster or adoptive applicant or parent can dispute the adverse action by presenting evidence, including written documentation and oral testimony. The program director or designee determines if the testimony may be given either in person or by telephone. If the applicant or parent has a representative, the representative may be present if the applicant or parent is being interviewed or questioned for the review, and when the applicant or parent presents evidence.

After the administrative review is completed, the program director or individual designated by the CPS program administrator provides written notification of the decision to the foster or adoptive applicant or parent who requested the review.

If the application denial or home closure is due to a substantiated finding for abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and the foster or adoptive applicant or parent has had an Administrative Review of Investigation Findings (ARIF) to challenge the substantiated finding, the applicant or parent is still eligible for an administrative review to challenge the denial or closure. However, the ARIF decision may be considered during the administrative review.

If FAD staff upholds a denial or closure in an administrative review, and the foster or adoptive applicant or parent subsequently files a new application, FAD staff may deny the application without providing another administrative review, unless the applicant provides evidence of changed circumstances.

7741 Peer Review Appeal Process for DFPS Verified Foster Parents

CPS September 2026

If a Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist and supervisor decide to take certain adverse actions against a foster home, the foster parent may choose to waive his or her right to an administrative review and, instead, proceed with a peer review. The foster parent also has the right to request a copy of and review the records related to the adverse action before the peer review.

Parent Has 15 Days to Request Peer Review

The parent receives a letter notifying him or her of the adverse action. If the parent wants to proceed with the peer review, the parent must complete the form attached to the letter and return it to the FAD specialist within 15 calendar days after receiving the letter. If the parent submits the form more than 15 calendar days after receiving the notification letter, the FAD specialist may schedule the review if the specialist determines good reason exists for the delay.

Parent Requests Copy of Records

If the parent also requests a copy of the records, the FAD specialist must request the records from the Records Management Group, using the STARRS Portal. See the Foster and Adoptive Home (FAD) Resource Guide under Producing FAD Administrative Review Records for Foster and Adoptive Parents.

The FAD specialist does not schedule a review until the parent notifies the FAD specialist that he or she received the records. The applicant or parent must notify the FAD specialist within 15 calendar days of receiving the records in order for a peer review to be conducted. If the parent notifies the FAD specialist more than 15 calendar days after receiving the records, the FAD specialist may schedule the review if the specialist determines good reason exists for the delay.

Review Date

If the parent does not request a copy of the records, the peer review must be conducted within 30 calendar days of the FAD specialist receiving the request for a review. If the parent requests a copy of the records, the review must be conducted within 30 calendar days of the parent notifying the FAD specialist that he or she received the records.

The Peer Review

The purpose of a peer review is to review the adverse action through a non-adversarial process and make recommendations about decisions and actions taken on DFPS-verified foster parents. This appeal procedure uses the expertise of foster parents to review adverse actions and help CPS staff evaluate if appropriate action was taken. These guidelines must be written and given to all DFPS verified foster parents.

During the peer review, the foster parent can dispute the adverse action by presenting evidence, including written documentation and oral testimony. If the parent has a representative, the representative may be present if the parent is being interviewed or questioned for the review, and when the parent presents evidence. However, the peer review appeal process is not a formal hearing and does not include a formal examination and cross-examination of witnesses.

Each region establishes a team to review and evaluate certain decisions and actions taken with DFPS-verified foster parents through an equity lens. The review team makeup will include foster parents.

Each region decides when this review team convenes. The review team meets on a regular basis or as needed.

Each region that takes adverse action on DFPS-verified foster parents, resulting in possible foster home closure status, must allow these families access to the peer review appeal process before closing the home. Regions also use this process if requested to review:

Staff lowering the capacity of placements without the foster parents' agreement.
Foster parents being placed on corrective action.
Conflicts arising between staff and foster parents.

Staff cannot conduct a peer review unless the records related to the decision are provided to the peer review team. If a foster parent wants to use the peer review appeal process, the foster parent must sign a release of information statement so information can be shared with his or her peers.

The complete foster home case record, including information in IMPACT, is available at the peer review appeal hearing. If relevant, or requested by the foster parent, each member of the review team receives copies of the following information:

Quarterly narratives over the last year (or more, if relevant)
All serious incident reports
All developmental and corrective action plans
Commendations and any special recognition
Home screening
The narratives that are not included in the quarterly narrative over the last year (or more, if relevant)

The peer review appeal team makes a recommendation to the CPS program administrator, who makes the final decision. The CPS program administrator notifies the foster parent and the peer review appeal team in writing.

7800 Special Considerations

7810 Avoiding a Conflict of Intrest When DFPS Employees Apply to Foster or Adopt

CPS September 2026

Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) program staff must ensure that they avoid public perceptions of the following:

Impropriety
Mistrust
Conflict of interest
Favoritism

The FAD specialist exercises sound judgment in his or her relationships with DFPS clients, including foster and adoptive parents, contractors, and fellow employees. The FAD specialist displays professional behavior and refrains from personal involvement that may or will discredit, question the integrity of, or embarrass either DFPS or the individuals involved. See the DFPS Human Resources Manual, Chapter 4: Employee Conduct (A. Employee Conduct).

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.107

The policies in section 7800 are designed to protect the best interests of children in DFPS conservatorship and to avoid any perception of conflict of interest, impropriety, or favoritism toward CPS employees during the verification, approval, and placement process.

Only policies unique to FAD appear in this handbook. For policy that all DFPS employees (including CPS employees) must follow, see the Placement of Children with Employees Handbook on the DFPS intranet website.

7811 Restrictions on FAD Verifying or Approving DFPS Employees and Others with Close Ties to DFPS

CPS September 2026

If acting as a child-placing agency (CPA), DFPS must avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest and impropriety. See Avoiding a Conflict of Interest When DFPS Employees Apply to Foster or Adopt above.

If the following persons meet the relevant requirements and seek to become foster or adoptive parents of children in DFPS conservatorship, they must do so through a private child-placing agency (CPA), rather than being trained, verified, or monitored by DFPS in its role as a CPA:

DFPS employees, including CPS staff
Family members and relatives of DFPS employees
DFPS council members
Contracted service providers, including subcontractors and vendors, such as home screeners and employees of a private CPA
Any entity that financially benefits from DFPS, including, but not limited to, paid consultants
Volunteers, including court appointed special advocates (CASAs)
Employees of a child advocacy center
Members of a child welfare board

The requirement may also apply to other persons who have a close relationship with DFPS. The regional director, in consultation with Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) staff at the DFPS state office, makes this determination on a case-by-case basis.

Persons with a close relationship to DFPS include, but are not limited to:

Family court judges.
County attorneys.
District attorneys who represent DFPS.
Guardians ad litem for the child.
Attorneys ad litem for the parents or child.
CPS employees who are terminating their employment with CPS.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.107(2)

FAD staff must not conduct, review, or approve foster home screenings, adoptive home screenings, or post-placement adoptive reports if there is a conflict of interest or bias with the family or the child. For example, there would be a conflict of interest if the staff is related to or has a personal relationship with the family or the child.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.107(1)

When FAD staff conducts adoptive home screenings, the staff must verify that the person evaluated appears suitable for adoption. See 7210 Reasons for Screening Applicants for Foster Care and Adoption.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 1, §749.107(5)

7811.1 Requesting an Exception to the Policy Requirements for Fostering or Adopting a Child in DFPS Conservatorship by a DFPS Employee

CPS September 2026

In extremely limited situations, depending on each individual case's unique circumstances and the child's best interests, the DFPS Commissioner may grant an exception to deviate from the policy. The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) division processes these exceptions.

Exception requests are sent to the FAD division administrator or designee through the Adoptionpolicy@dfps.texas.gov mailbox.

If the FAD division administrator or designee receives a request for an exception from the regional director or designee, he or she must verify that the request:

Is in writing.
Specifies the reasons for requesting an exception.
Confirms that there is no conflict of interest or appearance of conflict of interest.
Confirms that the proposed action is in the child's best interests.

If the request meets the above criteria, the state office FAD division administrator or designee must submit an action memo through his or her chain of command to obtain approval from each level of supervisors, including the DFPS general counsel, until final written approval to grant an exception is obtained from the DFPS Commissioner.

7900 Alternate Caregiving for Foster Children

CPS September 2026

DFPS encourages foster parents to use alternate care to provide relief from the daily stresses of caring for children. Doing so gives foster parents the break they need to return refreshed and better equipped to handle the challenges of caring for children in foster care.

DFPS must ensure proper precautions are taken to maintain the safety of children receiving foster care while they are in alternate care.

Alternate care consists of:

Babysitting and overnight care, which is:

Short-term or infrequent care.
Provided by a babysitter or alternate caregiver.

Intermittent alternate care (IAC), also known as respite care, which is:

A planned alternative 24-hour care.
Intended to provide relief to the child's primary caregiver.
Lasts more than 72 hours.
Provided by a person, other than the child's foster parent, who has contracted with DFPS to provide these services.
Paid for by DFPS.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 8, §749.2621

Alternate caregivers regularly provide childcare and supervision when the foster parent is unavailable. Regularly is defined as:

At least four hours a day.
Three or more times a week.
For more than nine consecutive weeks.

Examples of alternate caregivers include, but are not limited to:

Adult household members who have responsibility as a caregiver for a child in foster care.
An unrelated daycare provider.

Foster Parents Who Are Relative or Fictive Kin

Relative or fictive kinship foster families may only provide respite care services to other relative or fictive kinship foster families only. Relative or fictive kinship foster families approved as respite providers cannot provide respite services for unrelated families, and neither can unrelated approved respite providers provide respite services to relative or fictive kinship foster families.

7910 Background Check Requirements for Babysitters and Intermittent Alternate Care Providers

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must complete Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) name-based criminal history and run Family and Protective Services (FPS) History checks for all babysitters, alternate caregivers, and relative caregivers, before those individuals can provide services. The FAD specialist must assess these checks in the same manner as when verifying foster families.

The FAD specialist must complete a fingerprint-based criminal history check for a babysitter or alternate caregiver who provides care for a child in DFPS conservatorship in the child's foster home. The FAD specialist must also conduct a fingerprint-based criminal history check on a relative if the relative provides care in the child's home. See 7922 Relatives.

Youth in care acting as babysitters are exempt from DPS criminal history checks and FPS history checks.

See:

DFPS Rules, 26 TAC, Division 2, §745.605

7911 Notice of Any Associated Child Sexual Aggression, Behaviors, or Victimization to an Alternate Caregiver or Temporary Placement

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must inform foster or adoptive parents that the biological parents must provide information about a child’s sexual history (contained in the child’s sexual history report, Attachment A) to any of the following:

Alternate caregivers.
Unauthorized placements.
Temporary placements. This includes when a child is placed in a psychiatric hospital or is in the custody of juvenile detention.

The FAD specialist must ensure that alternate caregivers, unauthorized placements, or temporary placements have certified the receipt of the child’s sexual history information by signing Form 2279b Certification of Receipt of Child Abuse or Child Sexual Aggression Information.

An alternate caregiver is someone who is routinely responsible for direct care, supervision, guidance, and protection of a child or youth in care but is not the foster parent of the child or youth. Alternate caregivers do not include school personnel, mentors, tutors, and chaperones.

If the alternate caregiver or temporary placement refuses to sign Form 2279b, then the specialist writes “refused to sign” on the signature line and the date.

Caregiver

A caregiver is a person, including an employee, foster parent, adoptive parent, contract service provider, or volunteer whose day-to-day responsibilities include direct care, supervision, guidance, and protection of a child or youth in care. This includes employees and contract staff who provide 24-hour awake night supervision.

Generally, and in furtherance of a child or youth having as normal of a life experience as possible while in substitute care, a caregiver does not include a person who is not routinely responsible for direct care, supervision, guidance, and protection of a child or youth in care. This includes school personnel, mentors, tutors, and chaperones.

Determining what information to provide an adult involved with a child or youth’s normalcy activity (for example, an extracurricular activity, part-time job, church activity, school field trip, or visit to a friend’s house) must be considered on a case-by-case basis. The person making such a decision must keep in mind the confidential nature of the information and the need to balance the child or youth’s privacy.

Depending on the history and age of the child or youth, and the situation in which the child or youth may engage in a normalcy activity, the involved adult may not need to know the child or youth’s history. Examples include a tutor periodically at the child or youth’s placement or an adult chaperone on a school field trip.

The FAD specialist provides Form 2279b to the child’s primary DFPS specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent.

For planned, routine, alternate caregivers, the FAD specialist may collect Form 2279b in advance.

For unplanned temporary placements, such as psychiatric hospitalization or juvenile detention, the FAD specialist must do the following:

Obtain signatures on Form 2279b within 24 hours of receiving serious incident notification.
Provide Form 2279b to the primary specialist within three business days.

7920 Babysitting and Overnight Care

CPS September 2026

Babysitting and overnight care are defined as care that is provided by a babysitter or alternate caregiver.

7921 Restrictions on DFPS Employees

CPS September 2026

DFPS employees may not act as babysitters or provide overnight care for a child in foster care not related to them, except as otherwise provided in policy when an appropriate placement is not available. See 4152.2 Meeting the Needs of a Child or Youth without Placement.

7922 Relatives

CPS September 2026

Relatives are related to the foster child through blood, marriage, adoption, or creation of the court.

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that a relative who is not living with the child in care supervises that child for no more than 12 hours a day, whether in the child's home or in that relative's home.

If the relative provides care in the relative's own home, he or she is not subject to regulation as a childcare home.

7923 Approving and Documenting Babysitters

7923.1 Approving and Documenting Adult Babysitters

CPS September 2026

Background Checks

See 7910 Background Check Requirements for Babysitters and Intermittent Alternate Care Providers.

Experience and Training

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that an adult babysitter has a minimum of six months childcare experience or has provided CPS staff with two personal or professional references who can describe the prospective babysitter's childcare experience. Childcare experience includes professional work experience, such as being a teacher, as well as personal experience such as babysitting related or unrelated children.

Ratio of Children to Babysitters

The FAD specialist must ensure that an adult babysitter provides care for no more than six children at a time.

Approval

The FAD supervisor must review documentation related to the babysitter (including background checks). The FAD supervisor must determine whether to approve or deny the individual as a babysitter and document the determination in the foster family file. The prospective babysitter may only care for children who are in foster care after FAD approves him or her.

Documentation

The FAD specialist must maintain written documentation of the adult's childcare experience and references in the case record of the foster family for whom the adult is providing services.

7923.2 Approving and Documenting Minor Babysitters

CPS September 2026

Background Checks

See 7910 Background Check Requirements for Babysitters and Intermittent Alternate Care Providers.

Requirements and Limitations

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) supervisor or child placement management staff (CPMS) must ensure that a minor who is 16 years old or older, including a minor under DFPS conservatorship, meets requirements before approving the minor to serve as a babysitter for children in foster care who are under the age of 13.

The FAD supervisor or CPMS must:

Establish limits on the number of children that a minor babysitter may care for at a time.
Establish limits on the duration and frequency of the babysitting, including limiting the minor to babysitting no more than eight hours a day and never babysitting overnight.
Verify that the minor is certified in CPR and first aid.
Verify that neither the minor babysitter, nor any of the children in foster care under his or her care, is receiving treatment services as defined by Residential Child Care Regulation (RCCR) Minimum Standards, Division 2, §749.61(2).

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 6, §749.2599

Certification and References

The FAD specialist must receive from all prospective minor babysitters, including those under DFPS conservatorship:

Documentation of CPR and first aid certification
Two personal or professional references

The conservatorship (CVS) and FAD specialists must jointly assess the documentation of a prospective minor babysitter who is also under DFPS conservatorship and determine whether to approve the child who is receiving foster care services as a babysitter.

Approval

Documentation

The FAD specialist must maintain documentation of a minor's references and CPR and first aid certification in the case record of the foster family for whom any minor is providing services.

7924 Approving Alternate Care Plans

CPS September 2026

The child's conservatorship (CVS) specialist and Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must preapprove a DFPS foster family's alternate care plan.

The FAD specialist must review the foster family's alternate care plan quarterly. The FAD specialist must document the reviews in the family's quarterly narrative, noting any changes to the plan. The review must include a list of babysitters, alternate, and relative caregivers, and include how often the family uses them.

7925 Documenting Care Instructions

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must inform foster parents that they must provide written instructions for each foster child to all persons providing intermittent alternate care (IAC), babysitting, or overnight care. The FAD specialist must inform foster parents that they must:

Complete Form 2085-RC Intermittent Alternate Care Provider Instructions for each foster child.
Give each completed form to the actual babysitter or IAC provider before leaving the child with the provider.

The FAD specialist must inform the foster parents that instructions must include:

Medical and behavioral information on each child residing in foster care for whom care is being provided.
Medication instructions for each child in care for whom care is being provided, if applicable.
Appropriate discipline methods for all children in foster care.
Eating (including any food restrictions or allergies) and sleeping instructions for each child in foster care for whom care is being provided.
Names of acceptable visitors.
Emergency instructions and contact information to include a child's physician.
Contact information for each child’s conservatorship (CVS) specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent and the foster parents.

7926 Notifying DFPS of Alternate Care Services

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must inform foster parents that they must notify DFPS of any plan to use babysitting, overnight, or intermittent alternate care (IAC) services before leaving the child in foster care with the caregiver.

7930 Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) and DFPS Verified Foster Homes

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that verified foster parents and non-verified individuals who wish to provide intermittent alternate care (IAC) services are pre-approved and meet the requirements under the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) rule and policy to provide these services.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 8, §749.2621–749-2635

7931 Verified FAD Homes Providing Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC)

CPS September 2026

DFPS verified foster homes may provide intermittent alternate care (IAC) services for a child in DFPS conservatorship. A child placement management staff (CPMS) must preapprove each time a DFPS verified foster home provides IAC services. The child placement manager must deny IAC services if it could be detrimental to a child or cause a conflict in the care of any children already placed in the foster home.

The record of the foster home providing IAC services must include documentation of a CPMS's approval.

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that the foster home meets and complies with the Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies for all children in care. The minimum standards are rules that provide required standards on a variety of subjects, including, but not limited to:

Capacity
Child-to-caregiver ratios
Supervision

Children receiving IAC services are counted in the capacity and child-to-caregiver ratio for that home.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC, Division 8, §749.2627 and §749.2629

7932 Service Limitaiton of Verified IAC Providers

CPS September 2026

While DFPS-verified foster homes may provide intermittent alternate care (IAC) services for a child in DFPS conservatorship, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that the following limitations are applied:

Verified DFPS foster homes cannot provide intermittent alternate care (IAC) services to children receiving treatment services.
Verified homes must follow all capacity and child-to-caregiver ratios.
Verified homes cannot provide more than 14 consecutive days, or 40 days annually, of IAC care, unless the foster home exclusively provides respite childcare services.

An IAC episode that occurs because a child’s foster home is under investigation for abuse or neglect is not limited by the time frames noted in the previous bullet. This exception must be approved by a child placement management staff (CPMS).
If a child needs respite childcare for more than 14 days or for more than 60 total days because of an abuse or neglect investigation, this is considered a new placement and is not to be handled as IAC.
A child who has received 14 days of IAC may not return to IAC for at least ten days.

Verified homes may not provide IAC services more than once each month.

The FAD specialist must ensure that verified homes allow a minimum of 10 days between providing IAC services. These limits do not apply to homes that exclusively provide IAC services.

Foster Parents Who Are Relative or Fictive Kin

Relative or fictive kinship foster families may provide respite care services to other relative or fictive kinship foster families only. Relative or fictive kinship foster families approved as respite providers cannot provide respite services for unrelated families, and neither can unrelated, approved respite providers provide respite services to relative or fictive kinship foster families.

Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 26 TAC §749.2631, §749.2550 – §749.2557, and §749.2633.

26 TAC, Chapter 749, Subdivision W, Division 6, §749.4523

7933 Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Providers

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must verify that intermittent alternate care (IAC) providers meet the qualifications as outlined in the IAC contract. The following individuals or businesses may provide intermittent alternate car (IAC) services:

Foster parents verified by DFPS or through another licensed child-placing agency, or persons licensed by the DFPS Child Care Regulation Division.
Facilities providing childcare services and licensed or registered through the DFPS Child Care Regulation Division, except for emergency shelters which may not provide IAC services for DFPS-verified foster homes.
Businesses certified to provide home and community support services through the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS).
An approved individual who meets the following minimum requirements in addition to the qualifications outlined in the Intermittent Alternate Care Contract. The individual must:

Be a minimum of 18 years of age.
Have a minimum of six months childcare experience or two personal references who can describe the prospective provider's childcare experience.
Agree to follow the DFPS non-physical discipline policy and confidentiality policy.
Have had criminal background checks completed within the last 24 months on the prospective provider and all persons 14 years of age or older living in the provider's home, and the proposed provider has been determined appropriate to provide IAC services.
Have had Family and Protective Services (FPS) History checks (child abuse and neglect checks) completed within the last 24 months on the prospective provider and all persons 14 years of age or older living in the provider's home, and the proposed provider has been determined appropriate to provide IAC services.
Provide proof of current Pediatric CPR and first-aid certifications.
Provide proof of negative tuberculosis tests for all household members.

7933.1 Non-Verified Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Providers

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must ensure that an individual who is not a verified foster parent and wants to provide intermittent alternate care (IAC) services to a child in DFPS conservatorship has first established an individual contract with DFPS.

The FAD specialist must ensure that, before the individual contract for IAC services is established, the approved IAC provider must agree to:

Comply with regulations, policies, and procedures as specified by DFPS.
Submit the completed Form 2082 Intermittent Alternate Care Contract to DFPS, as stated in the individual's IAC contract.
Inform DFPS immediately of any significant problems that arise with a child in DFPS conservatorship while providing IAC services.
Acknowledge that DFPS cannot guarantee the frequency of IAC use.

TAC 26 §749.2635

TAC 26 §749.127

7934 Contracting for Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Services

CPS September 2026

The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must facilitate contracts with verified and non-verified intermittent alternate care (IAC) providers. The FAD specialist must ensure that verified and non-verified IAC providers establish a contract before the services are authorized and received.

The FAD specialist must ensure that verified foster parents establishing a contract with DFPS to provide IAC care are in good standing, and their home complies with the Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies found in Title 26 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 749, Subchapter O.

The FAD specialist must ensure that facilities providing IAC services are in good standing with DFPS and have provided a copy of their facility license or registration.

The FAD specialist must ensure that foster homes, businesses, or facilities verified by private child-placing agencies (CPAs) provide documentation that DFPS Residential Child Care Regulation (RCCR) or Contracts has not taken adverse action against them. A verbal or written statement from the facility is sufficient.

7935 Arranging Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Services

CPS September 2026

Intermittent alternate care (IAC) requests may come from the any of the following:

A foster parent
The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist
The child's conservatorship (CVS) specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent
A medical professional such as the child's therapist or doctor

All non-emergency requests for IAC must be made at least 10 working days in advance of the desired start date of the IAC services. The request must be submitted to the foster family's FAD specialist or a regionally designated CVS specialist or SSCC equivalent, and may be verbal or written.

DFPS-verified foster homes using IAC services must notify and get approval from the child's CVS specialist or SSCC equivalent before the child is placed in IAC. Foster parents must ensure that the appropriate information about each child is provided to the IAC provider before the child is left with the IAC provider. See 7925 Documenting Care Instructions.

7935.1 Requiring Prior Service Authorization for Ensure Payment of IAC Services

CPS September 2026

If a DFPS-verified foster home requests intermittent alternate care (IAC) services, regionally designated staff must create a service authorization in the child's SUB stage in IMPACT. The authorization shows approval of payment for the length of time that the child will be placed in IAC. The Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist or regionally designated staff must complete the IAC service authorization and send it to the FAD supervisor for approval for payment of the service.

To ensure that the provider will receive payment, the FAD supervisor must approve the service authorization before the IAC services begin. The FAD specialist must notify the child's conservatorship (CVS) specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent that IAC services have been arranged before the child may be placed in IAC. The notification to the child's specialist or SSCC equivalent must contain the:

Dates of IAC services
Name of the IAC provider
Address and telephone number of the IAC provider

7935.2 Procedures for Arranging Intrmittent Alternate Care (IAC)

CPS September 2026

If placing a child for intermittent alternate care (IAC):

The appropriate Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) staff must notify the child's conservatorship (CVS) specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent.
The FAD supervisor must approve the service authorization for the agreed length of time of IAC (see 7935.1 Requiring Prior Service Authorization to Ensure Payment of IAC Services).
The FAD specialist must negotiate and document the dates of IAC services between the foster family and IAC provider, including pick-up and drop-off times.
The FAD specialist must ensure that the IAC provider receives the following completed forms:

Form 2084 Declaration of Service Provided Foster Parent Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC)
Form 2085RC Intermittent Alternate Care Provider Instructions
Form 2085R Placement Authorization for Intermittent Alternate Care

The FAD specialist ensures that all caregivers in the IAC home have reviewed and signed off on the Attachment A form and provides the signed form to the CVS specialist or SSCC equivalent.

The FAD specialist must inform foster parents that they must provide each alternate caregiver with a copy of the DFPS document Keeping Children Safe Wherever You Go, prior to any person providing babysitting or IAC.
The FAD specialist must inform the foster parent that he or she must review this document with each babysitter or IAC provider prior to the provision of the babysitting or IAC.
The FAD specialist must ensure that the IAC provider has emergency contact information for the following:

Foster family
Child's CVS specialist and supervisor or SSCC equivalent
FAD specialist and supervisor
Statewide Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline

The FAD specialist must ensure that the foster parent will provide transportation to the IAC provider's home, unless other arrangements have been made with one or more of the following:

Provider
Child's CVS specialist or SSCC equivalent
FAD specialist

7936 Processing the Billing for Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Services

CPS September 2026

Each time a child is returned to the foster home after receiving intermittent alternate care (IAC), the IAC provider is responsible for completing the middle portion of Form 2084 Declaration of Service Provided Foster Parent Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC).

The IAC provider then forwards the completed and signed form to either the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist or another regional designee.

The FAD specialist or the designee must forward the fully signed and completed Form 2084 to the regional contract staff for payment.

Regional contract staff make the payment directly to the IAC provider at the designated rates.

7936.1 Canceling Intermittent Alternate Care

CPS September 2026

To cancel previously authorized intermittent alternate care (IAC) services, the foster parent contacts the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist and the IAC provider, usually by phone, no later than 24 hours before the authorized start date of the services.

7936.2 Requesting Additional Units of Intermittent Alternate Care Service

CPS September 2026

If foster parents request intermittent alternate care (IAC) beyond the allotted 14 days per fiscal year, the Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) specialist must fill out a request and provide the completed request to the supervisor. The supervisor, upon approving the request, must forward it to the program administrator. The FAD program administrator or designee must provide final written approval of the request.

TAC Title 26, Division 8, §749.2633

Any request for additional IAC must have the recommendation of one or more of the following:

The child's conservatorship (CVS) specialist or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent
The FAD specialist
A medical professional

Non-emergency requests for additional IAC services should be made at least 10 working days in advance of the desired start date. The criteria for foster parents requesting additional days are:

Death in the family
Serious illness of a family member
Adverse behavioral, medical, or mental health condition exhibited by the child

Regions must develop their own procedures for reviewing and approving requests for additional IAC services. Granting additional IAC units beyond the annual allotment is ultimately dependent on the funds and availability within each region.

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Child Protective Services Handbook