These resources provide guidance on the critical elements and standards for providing foster care, group and residential care services, including State and local examples.
CWLA Standards of Excellence for Residential Services
Child Welfare League of America (2004)
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Presents guidelines for types of residential services, components of service and treatment, organizational structure, the service environment and necessary equipment, and community support. The standards review the characteristics of programs, purposes, services provided, duration, and staffing requirements.
NARA Model Foster Care Standards
National Association for Regulatory Administration
Provides the national licensing standards family foster care homes.
Program Standards for Treatment Foster Care
Foster Family-based Treatment Association (2004)
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Presents 73 standards to assist agencies in establishing quality treatment foster care services for children and families. It explains the development of the Foster Family-based Treatment Association standards, key components of a treatment foster care program, and more.
State Standards and Capacity to Track Frequency of Caseworker Visits With Children in Foster Care (PDF - 1010 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (2005)
Discusses findings of a study that investigated States' written standards for frequency of caseworker visits with children in foster care, the extent to which States could provide statewide automated reports on the frequency of caseworker visits, and the extent to which statewide reports indicate that children were visited.
State Standards and Practices for Content of Caseworker Visits With Children in Foster Care (PDF - 1,020 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (2005)
Discusses findings of a study that investigated States' written standards for the content of caseworker visits with children in foster care and the practices of States that do not have written standards.
State and local examples
Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies (PDF - 1,683 KB)
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (2018)
Provides minimum standards developed through the administrative procedure of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
Minimum Standards for Licensed, Private Child Placing Agencies (PDF - 49 KB)
Virginia Register of Regulations
Reports Virginia's minimum standards for licensed private child placing agencies.
Practice Guide for Locating and Involving Non-Custodial Parents, Alleged Fathers, and Relatives (PDF - 86 KB)
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (2007)
Provides minimum standards, guidance, and tools to help agencies identify, locate, and involve noncustodial parents, alleged fathers, and relatives as resources for children, especially children who have been removed from their homes.
Quality Standards for Residential Group Care
Florida Institute for Child Welfare
Details an initiative between the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, and Florida Coalition for Children to develop a statewide standards and accountability system for residential group care providers. This work is a result of a change in Florida statute requiring DCF to develop a statewide accountability system for this type of care.
Developing Quality Standards And Performance Measures For Residential Group Care: Translating Theory To Practice
Boel-Studt & Huefner & Bender & Huang & Abell (2019)
Residential Treatment For Children and Youth, 36(3)
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Describes the steps take to establish a set of quality standards for residential group care providers in Florida, including lessons learned and recommendations for the child welfare field.
The Group Care Quality Standards Assessment: A Framework For Assessment, Quality Improvement, And Effectiveness
Boel-Studt & Huefner & Huang (2019)
Children and Youth Services Review, 105
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Discusses the development and adoption of the Group Care Quality Standards Assessment, an eight phase framework for ensuring quality standards of practice for residential group care providers in Florida.
Standards for Child-Placing Agencies
Kentucky Legislature
Reports the Kentucky Legislature standards for child placing agencies.