Definitions – The following words and phrases, for purposes of this Part, shall have

Definitions – The following words and phrases, for purposes of this Part, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly otherwise requires: 1. “Foster Care” means the 24-hour care and supervision of a child in the custody of MDCPS which is provided by a licensed Foster Family in a single-family home or in a licensed residential child caring agency in a group care setting. a. Care includes the provision of food, lodging, clothing, shelter, support, ordinary transportation, recreation and training which is appropriate for the child’s age and mental and physical capacity. b. It also includes working with the child’s birth parents, contributing to the creation and updating of the child’s life book and personal history, and assisting the child in maintaining cultural and ethnic connections. 2. “Foster Home” means the home of an individual or family: a. That is licensed or approved by the state or tribe in which it is situated as a foster family home that meets the standards established for the licensing or approval; b. In which a child in foster care has been placed in the care of an individual, who resides with the child and who has been licensed or approved by the state or tribe to be a foster parent; c. That the state or tribe deems capable of adhering to the reasonable and prudent parent standard; d. That provides 24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents or other caretakers; and e. That provides care for up to six (6) children to include biological, foster, or adopted children. 3. “Home Study” means the process by which a family and their home are determined to be a suitable placement for a child for the purposes of temporary foster care or adoption. a. The Child Welfare Gateway assigns three purposes to the home study process: i. Educate and prepare the family for placement; ii. Evaluate the fitness of the family; and iii. Gather information that will help match the family with a foster child/youth whose needs the family can meet.