Section 404.12  Administrative Coverage

a)         The institution shall not be left at any time, or under any circumstances, without a properly designated, administratively responsible person on the premises.  The designated administratively responsible person may be the child care worker for each unit, with the administrator, or someone designated by the administrator, to be on call.

b)         Program Administrator

The administrator may delegate certain program responsibilities to a program administrator.  These may include day-to-day management of the program for children, supervision of program staff, staff development and training, educational activities and other services to children.  The program administrator shall have:

1)         a Master's Degree from an accredited school of social work and 3 years' work experience with children, at least 2 of which were in institutional or other residential group care programs; or

2)         a Master's Degree in a human services field from an accredited school and 3 years work experience with children, at least 2 of which were in institutional or other residential group care programs; or

3)         a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university, 5 years' work experience with children, at least 3 of which were in institutional or other residential group care programs.

c)         The institution or maternity center, at all times, shall have on-site at least one official who, with respect to any child placed at the child care institution or maternity center, is designated to be the caregiver who is authorized to apply the reasonable and prudent parent standard to decisions involving the participation of the child in age or developmentally appropriate activities, and who is provided with training in how to use and apply the reasonable and prudent parent standard in the same manner as foster parents. This training will include a detailed explanation of the reasonable and prudent parent standard and examples of how caregivers can apply this standard in specific situations. (See 42 USC 671(10) and (24).) 

d)         The institution or maternity center must seek consent in other areas in which specific State or federal laws limit consent authorization.  Some examples of when normalcy parenting does not apply include consent to medical and dental care and disclosure of mental health information.

e)         Each child shall be given the opportunity and encouraged to participate in age, physical, culturally and mentally appropriate activities that provide opportunities for normal growth and development.  This includes the opportunity to develop social relationships and to pursue hobbies and personal interests through participation in neighborhood, school and other community and group activities.  Except when the needs of the child and institution indicate otherwise, children shall have the opportunity to exchange visits with friends in the community.  When participation of a child less than 18 years of age in an extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, or social activity requires a caregiver's consent, the institution shall use normalcy parenting and the reasonable and prudent parent standard when determining whether to allow participation.  Youth 18 years of age and older do not require a guardian's consent to participate in these activities. 

f)         The institution shall use normalcy parenting and the reasonable and prudent parent standard when determining whether to allow a foster child to visit overnight with friends or relatives of the child. 

g)         If a child suffers an injury participating in an activity approved by the institution and the designated institution staff approving the activity acted in accordance with the reasonable and prudent parent standard, the Department shall hold the institution harmless from liability. 

h)         Travel

1)         The child care institution or maternity center is authorized to approve the child's travel within the State of Illinois.  When in-state travel will exceed 48 hours, the group home must notify the permanency worker of the trip and provide the child's location and contact information.

2)         The institution or center is authorized to approve the child's out-of-state travel of up to 29 days.  Out-of-state travel of 30 days or more must be approved by the DCFS Guardian. When out-of-state travel will exceed 48 hours, the group home must notify the permanency worker of the trip and provide the child's location and contact information.

3)         The institution or center shall ensure that planned travel for the child does not interfere with school, court, medical and other important services/treatment required in the child's service plan.

(Source:  Amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 20351, effective October 31, 2018)