1.   Voluntary placement by youth in custody.

(1) Decision-making.  If a youth in custody requests voluntary placement of her child, the Child Welfare (CW) worker considers (A) through (D) to assess the appropriateness of voluntary long-term placement.

(A) Do issues of safety, protection, and well-being exist?

(B) Is there an available placement who will accept the mother and child?

(C) Does the placement provider agree to assist the mother by teaching and modeling parenting skills and assist the mother with independent living skills?

(D) Is the mother willing to work on a treatment plan that outlines the steps to assist the mother in caring for the child?

(2) Procedures.  If voluntary placement has been determined to be appropriate, the CW worker:

(A) sends a written request to the CW supervisor setting out the plan and length of care.  The CW supervisor approves or denies the request in writing.  These documents are filed in the paper case record;

(B) opens a voluntary foster care case in KIDS.  The youth in custody is designated the parent.  The placement episode for the child is entered in the voluntary foster care case, not the permanency planning case of the youth in custody; and

(C) develops a treatment and service plan that addresses:

(i) safety and protection of the child without court intervention;

(ii) the role and responsibility of the placement provider;

(iii) appropriate child care plans while the mother is attending school, working, or involved in extracurricular activities; and