Taking the 5th, but not like in the Constitution…#5 in a series on Mississippi’s Foster Parent’s Bill of Rights.

(p) Support from the family protection worker or the family protection specialist in efforts to do a better day-to-day job in caring for the child and in working to achieve the agency’s objectives for the child and the birth family through provision of:

Read this as help, info and cooperation from the social worker/investigator.

(i) A copy of the “Foster Child Information Form”  and all other pertinent information about the child and the birth family, including medical, dental, behavioral health history, psychological information, educational status, cultural and family background, and other issues relevant to the child which are known to the department at the time the child is placed in foster care prior to the child’s placement with a foster parent or parents. The department shall make reasonable efforts to gather and provide all additional current medical, dental, behavioral, educational and psychological information reasonably available from the child’s service providers within fifteen (15) days of placement. When the department learns of such information after fifteen (15) days of placement, the department shall communicate such information to the foster parent as soon as practicable;

This is the Right to be informed about your foster child; the good, the bad and the important.

(ii) An explanation of the plan for placement of the child in the foster parent’s home and the ongoing and timely communication of any necessary information which is relevant to the care of the child, including any changes in the case plan;

This includes the right to know what the permanent plan and concurrent plan for custody/placement are. You have the right to timely updates about any changes in this plan. Interestingly, one placement ends the foster parent does not have the right to know where the child is.

(iii) Help in using appropriate resources to meet the child’s needs, including counseling or other services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation or human trafficking;

Counseling services will be made available if deemed necessary. While you will be privy to confidential information regarding this, you must maintain that confidentiality.

(iv) Direct interviews between the family protection worker or specialist and the child, previously  discussed and understood by the foster parents;

You can learn about the info exchanged in in-person interviews between the child and the agency.

(v) Information regarding whether the child experienced commercial sexual exploitation or human trafficking;

You will be provided information if applicable, but also asked to hold this in strict confidence.

(vi) Information related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Foster parents shall protect the confidentiality of the child by working directly with a designated school official to complete the application for free lunches.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 authorized funding for federal school meal and child nutrition programs and increased access to healthy food for low-income children. The bill that reauthorized these programs is often referred to by shorthand as the child nutrition reauthorization bill.

Matthew Thompson and Chad King are child welfare attorneys in the State of Mississippi. They have represented natural parents, foster parents, grandparents, other relatives, fictive kin, children and the Agency (CPS) throughout their decades of practice. (NOT all at the same time).