The code of ethics for Family Health & Support Network outlines guidelines for foster parents to ensure they provide ethical care and maintain appropriate boundaries. Foster parents must not discriminate, exploit vulnerable parties, or engage in sexual or inappropriate relationships. They must also respect client confidentiality, only disclosing information to authorized parties. Foster parents should seek help for personal issues to avoid harming clients and must practice within their competence.

1. CODE OF ETHICS Family Health & Support Network, Inc. Foster Parent Ethics

2. RESPONSIBILITY TO CONSUMERS (The Child) NETWORK foster parents advance the welfare of foster children and their families, respect the rights of all parties, and make reasonable efforts to ensure that their volunteer services are used appropriately. STATEMENT

8. CONFIDENTIALITY NETWORK foster parents respects the confidences of all foster children. STATEMENT

9. You are under the same regulations as ASW’s when it comes to talking about the children. This means, you are not permitted to share confidential information regarding the children in your care. You must avoid identifying children as being in foster care whenever possible. Instead, foster parents are encouraged to discuss the foster children with their NETWORK social worker.

10. You can share foster child information with an agency designated foster parent support group as long as you don’t identify the child by name. Support groups provide a place for you to ask questions and seek guidance. Otherwise, sharing this information is considered to be on a need to know basis. Information about children is only discussed with the ASW or CSW. Violation of this policy will constitute a reason for a corrective action notice.

13. NETWORK staff obtains written informed consent from the Department of Children and Family Services and the Juvenile Court prior to making public (i.e. available to non-treatment team members) any photographs, videotapes, audio tapes, etc. that reveal the identity of foster children. FHSN foster parents shall honor this policy by not making public any photographs, videotapes, audio tapes, etc. without having consulted with the NETWORK.

14. FHSN staff ensures that all treatment records and data are maintained or disposed in the office in such a way to safeguard confidentiality of foster children. All files and documents pertaining to foster children are appropriately locked when not in immediate use. The agency conforms to state and DCFS requirements regarding the disposal of documents and case records. This includes storage of terminated cases. The NETWORK expects that our foster parents will also safeguard the confidentiality of foster children by appropriately safeguarding their documents in the home.

15. NETWORK foster parents do not discuss confidential information related to foster children and/or their families unless it is for the purpose of achieving professional objectives with a NETWORK staff or a county social worker.

16. COMPETENCE AND INTEGRITY NETWORK foster parents maintains high standards of competence and integrity. STATEMENT

19. What Do You Know? The following are samples of ethical violations that are not allowed at Family Health & Support Network, Inc. or in this profession. These may appear obvious, but all of these have been reported to have occurred either here, in the professional journals, or at some other agency.

32. Family Health & Support Network, Inc. is comprised of team members who possess very diverse styles. And while our goal is to create a NETWORK with an environment that is comfortable for each of us, we also intend to provide the highest quality of care possible in the most competent and professional manner achievable. Therefore, we encourage our team members to continuously conduct themselves in the most ethical manner possible so as not to compromise our children, the families who work with us, our valued team members or the agency as a whole.