23Provider to ensure certain matters considered during determination of suitability of foster carers

23 Provider to ensure certain matters considered during determination of suitability of foster carers

(1) A provider of a foster care service must have systems and processes in place to ensure that the provider has regard to the following matters when approving a person to act as a foster carer—

(a) the person's criminal history;

(b) the person's medical history, including mental health;

(c) the person's capacity to provide stability and continuity of care and promote achievement of the permanency objective included in a child's case plan within the meaning of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005;

(d) the person's capacity to promote and protect a child's safety, wellbeing and development;

(e) the person's capacity to provide appropriate support for the maintenance of a child's religious faith (if any);

(f) the person's capacity to preserve a child's identity and connection to the child's culture of origin and relationships with the child's birth family;

(g) the person's appreciation of the importance of contact with a child's birth parent and family;

(h) the person's capacity to develop a positive relationship and to work collaboratively with providers of services to children, including but not limited to—

(i) child protection services; and

(ii) disability services; and

(iii) registered out of home care services; and

(iv) health services; and

(v) educational services; and

(vi) legal and youth justice services;

(i) the person's general character;

(j) the person's relationship with the person's family members and household members;

(k) the criminal history of the usual members of the person's household.

provider of a foster care service means—

(a) a person who has applied under Division 1 of Part 3 of the Act for registration to provide a foster care service, or an unincorporated body on whose behalf such an application is made, whose application is not finally determined; or

(b) a registered social service provider registered to provide a foster care service.