Definitions For Purposes Of This Chapter

(1) Advocate – An advocate is a specially trained foster parent, who is educated concerning procedures relevant to allegations of abuse/neglect and investigations by the Department of Children’s Services (DCS), including the rights of accused foster parents, and trained in assisting/supporting said parents in following policy or filing grievances/appeals with DCS. The advocate shall be permitted to be present at all portions of investigations where foster parents are present, and all communications received by the advocate therein are strictly confidential. (2) Foster Parent – A person who has been trained and approved by the department or licensed child-placing agency to provide full-time temporary out-of-home care in a private residence for children who, for various reasons, can no longer remain in their own homes, or the prospective adoptive parents who have received a child as a result of the surrender of parental rights, a parental consent, or as the result of a termination of parental rights. (3) Department – The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services or any of its divisions or units.