The SAFE Alliance

During interviews, foster parents admitted to administering a restraint to a child in a non-emergency situation.

During interviews with the foster parents, it was said that this incident took place on a Monday, and foster parents stated that post discussion took place the following Thursday, exceeding the 48-hour time frame required by Minimum Standards.

It was found during the investigation that the foster parent attempted a short personal restraint by grabbing the child in a bear hug to remove her from a vehicle.

It was found during the investigation that one foster parent had used the term "Ms. Piggy" in reference two children in care in a joking manner. Although it was reported that this term was not used in a malicious way, it was inappropriate to use towards a child(ren) in care. It was also reported that one foster parent made an inappropriate comment toward one child in care.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined a foster parent failed to supervise a child in her care adequately.

It was found that one foster parent slapped the child in care across a vital part of the body, the face.

It was found that one foster parent "dragged" the child involved from the inside of the house to the outside of the house and into the yard onto the concrete ground. It was found that during this incident the child was placed in a supine restraint by foster parent during what was reported to be a short personal restraint, which is prohibited. It was also reported that the child hit their head outside during this restraint and the child sustained scratches/marks/bruises on their back due to this incident as well. No foster parent was monitoring the restraint inside or outside the home. It was reported that at one point foster parent was chest to chest with the child during the restraint and/or had their knee on the child. Overall, foster parent(s) conducted inappropriate and improper restraints on the child in care. Foster parents did not minimize harm to the child which caused injuries.

It was found that during this investigation, foster parent(s) conducted an aggressive restraint that raised concern for abusive behavior. These actions were a breach of duty by the foster parents that placed the child involved in a genuine threat of substantial harm from physical injury. One foster parent restrained the child in a manner described by dragging the child by the limbs through the house and outside where the restraint continued in a supine position. At one point, foster parent was reported to be chest to chest w/ the child during the restraint and/or having one knee on the child's chest. The other foster parent admitted to slapping the child on a vital body part, the face. Although there are some variances to the history provided by foster parents, collaterals reported there was a struggle between the child and the foster parents that resulted in the child getting injured by being slammed onto the ground, sustaining scratches/bruising on the back, and bumping their head onto the ground.

It was noted in a variance the agency submitted on 1/7/2022 that two caregiver tested positive for COVID-19 but a report to the hotline was not received upon review of CLASS until 1/28/2022.

During the walk through of the interior of the foster home, it was noted that the house was in disararray. There was organic plant feed next to the rice and hardware items in the kitchen area. On the exterior of the foster home, the grass and weeds were overgrown to approximately a foot to three feet. There was also debris in the immediate vicinity of the foster home.

A child in care had been using over the counter lice treatment for over 3 months and still had reoccurring lice causing the child discomfort.

One of the two child files reviewed had a service plan that was not reviewed with in 180 days.

Four of the four home screenings reviewed did not have the method used to interview references. Three of the four did not have the date the references were obtained.

Multiple sources stated a caregiver cursed at a child in care and called them a derogatory name.

A child in care was able to gain access and ingest to prescription medication.