No statewide data is available which reports the frequency of visitation or contact between caseworkers and the children and families in their caseloads.

At the local level, however, the Placement Supervisory Review Guide and the Evaluation and Reporting Guide provide the internal mechanisms to monitor the frequency of case manager - child contacts in accordance with required standards. (See examples of contact standards below.) Contacts between the case manager and the parent are documented in the case plan, including the type, frequency and nature of the contacts. This information is reviewed by the court or the court-appointed Citizen Panel at the time of the six-month review.

Section 1011, Service Needs of the Child, Foster Care Services Manual, provides the contact standards for each placement case type. Variables include whether the contact is face-to-face, where the contact occurs, who is present and whether there are acceptable alternatives for meeting the contact standard. Our contact standards were revised in 2000 to enhance communication with the family and to strengthen the Division's monitoring of the child's safety in out-of-home care.

Placement Case Type Contact Standards:

Foster Family Care 1 face-to-face with child per month. At least every other month, required contact made in the foster home.

Foster Home (Private) 3 face-to-face with child per year; quarterly written or phone contact if no face-to-face that quarter.

Group Care 2 face-to-face with child per year; quarterly written or phone contact if no face-to-face that quarter.

Parent's Home 1 face-to-face with child and family each month.

Relative Home 1 face-to-face with the child per month until placement is stable; then, 1 face-to-face every 2 months with a collateral contact in "off" month.

Aftercare 1 face-to face with child and family each month.

Contact requirements for child protective services begin immediately upon completion of the risk assessment scale. This scale is completed for all investigated reports that are substantiated. The three possible risk ratings are Low, Moderate and High. Minimum monthly contact standards, which are determined by risk level, are:

• High Risk requires three fact-to-face contacts (one face-to-face with the child; three face-to-face with parents) and three collateral contacts.

• Moderate Risk requires two face-to-face contacts (one face-to-face with the child; two face-to-face with parents) and two collateral contacts.

• Low Risk requires one face-to-face contact (one face-to-face with the child; one face-to-face with parents) and one collateral contact.

The case manager is responsible for all required face-to-face contacts with children. On a case rated high risk, a face-to-face contact by a Homestead provider may be substituted for one required face-to-face monthly contact with the parent. Use of good CPS practice judgement helps determine when more contacts are needed for specific cases.

Some counties have expressed difficulty meeting required contact standards. This is mainly attributed to the high staff turnover rate and the time involved to replace positions and to train new staff. The state has given some time-limited waivers to counties experiencing these staffing problems, allowing for Homestead providers to cover some additional required contacts.