Foster Care Policies
The Guide to Common Foster Care Policies in Orlando
Orlando Rules and Regulations
Find guidance on a number of common situations faced by foster parents.
Travel and Vacation
When Foster Parents travel with their own family, whether for a short weekend adventure or a planned family
vacation, Foster Parents are encouraged to take the children placed in their care with them.
Travel within state boundaries is permitted without permission. Travel out of the state requires advance approval. 30 days prior to the travel the caregiver should submit an email to FPVacations@embracefamilies.org and should cc their case worker. It is important to provide plenty of notice so that any parent visitations or caseworker check-ins can be rearranged appropriately. More information is available here.
Birth parents have the right to request that their children remain local when their foster family travels out-of-state. When a foster family travels out-of-state without their foster child, the child enters respite care and stays with another foster family for the duration of the trip.
Prohibited Discipline
- Group punishments for misbehavior of individuals
- Withholding of meals, mail, family visits, phone calls and/or visits with Caregiver Support Manager,
Case Manager, Guardian Ad Litem, or mentor - Hitting a child with an object or spanking a child
- Physical, sexual, emotional and/or verbal abuse
- Humiliating or degrading punishment which subjects the child to ridicule
- Placing child in a locked room
- Delegation of authority for discipline to other children or persons not known to the child
- Withholding of allowance
Transportation
It is the responsibility of the caregiver to provide or arrange with the case worker to have transportation for their foster children. If transportation is provided by foster parents, they are required to have a current driver’s license and auto insurance on file with their licensing agency.
For school-age children, it may be possible to have bus routes changed by contacting the school.
Teens are permitted to transport themselves via car, bus, train, or other public transportation.
Religion
Foster families should feel free to continue to practice their own religion. However, all decisions regarding religious practice remain the responsibility of the birth parents, even while in care.
If a child or youth prefers not to attend religious services, appropriate child care should be arranged. Additionally, any formal decisions of faith, such as baptism or other religious commitments, should be discussed ahead of time with the case manager and birth parents.
Babysitting
Florida places the responsibility of assessing babysitters in the hands of the foster parent. They are required to use prudent and reasonable standards when selecting care. They do not need to have anyone who is ever alone with the child background checked. This allows the children to have less stigma and be treated as normal children would.
Foster parents may allow a family member or a person who is well known to them to provider care for a child overnight.
If the stay will exceed 3 days, the caregiver will need to be background checked.
Learn More About Foster Care
The following guides can help get you up to speed on several important aspects of foster care in Orlando.
Finances
Learn about financial support available for foster parents.
Healthcare
Learn about healthcare topics such as doctors visits and insurance.
The Legal System
Learn about family court, hearings, and child custody.
Caseworkers and Visits
Learn about the different types of caseworkers, home visits, and parent visits.
New Placements
Learn about what to ask when receiving a new placement and the first week in care
School and Daycare
Learn more about education, school, and daycare.
Adoption and Permanency
Learn about foster care, adoption, and foster-to-adopt.
Foster Care Policies
Learn about policies like travel and babysitters