New travel rules????

We've always had to get permission to take kids out of state, and we have fostered since 1991.

Becky, Weve always needed permission also to take the kids out of state. In writing from DCS by caseworker and supervisor. But now they are saying a request to go out of state needs to be approved "by the court" in the form of a "court order". That is different.

I've heard we needed a court order, but only if the bio did not approve. If the bio approved, it was okay just to have the 'okay' from the CW/supervisor. Have not heard about an overnight in state though unless it was more than 72 hrs.

This is what the letter states.... In State Travel-For any In state activities or events that require overnight stays the resource family shall notify the FCM 7 days in advance.

Out of state travel: for ANY out of state travel the resource parent must have court authorization through a COURT ORDER. The resource parent will need to contact the FCM as early as possible in order to allow sufficient time to obtain permission from the court for out of state travel. So in state still does not seem like a big deal as I usually know ahead of time if I am going to be spending the night somewhere and can let the caseworker know ahead of time. My particular issue will be my family living half an hour away but across the state line. I cant believe I will have to get a COURT ORDER everytime I want to go visit. Some days we wake up and decide to go to grandmas for lunch. I just dont know what i am suppose to do. I left a message for the FCM. I am hoping she will be able to get a court order that covers aq certain amount of time (like her current travel authorizations do). I hope this is a possibility. :grr:

OOPS! also I did not see anywhere on this letter that bios could approve out of state travel. It specifically says the court needs to approve.

I have family also across state line and when we very first started fostering we only needed to provide FCW with the names, addresses & phone number of where we were going to. We never did over night stay. After about a year in a half all I did was have to call to let them know I was going across state line and didn't have to provide anything further seeing they already knew my whole family by then and had their info. Last year we were told that any visits outside our state does need to go through the court. And yes, the bio parents could refuse and then it would go before the judge. We did have one time where the bio refused and the judge overruled it so we were able to visit my family. Yes, it stinks to not be able to go and visit at a whim but, in the long run the state is covering their butts. I know if it was my child I would want to know if they were taken out of state even if it's not a overnight stay. And really it got some of my friends and family to drive out here instead of me always driving to their house ;) .