MEMORANDUM

Circular No. 23
Series of 2014

Guidelines on Foster
Care Service

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 Rationale
A child will benefit more from
foster care than institutional
care.
Foster Care is defined as planned
temporary substitute parental
care to a child by a foster parent.
Permanency is the goal of the
State for every homeless child.

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 Mandates and Legal
Bases
1986 Philippine Constitution
PD 603 other wise known as the
Child and Youth Welfare Code
Article 20 of the United nations
Convention on the Rights of a Child
Republic Act NO. 10165 or
otherwise known as the Foster care
Act of 2012.

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 Objectives
Enable every child eligible
for foster care to experience
a caring and nurturing
family life provided by a
licensed foster family on a
temporary basis towards
permanent placement.

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 General Policies

The following protocols

shall be observed to
protect children for and
under foster care:

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 A thorough study must be made
for every applicant family to
determine their motivation,
capacities and potentials as
foster family for a particular type
of children.
In determining the best suited
foster parent, the relatives of the
child shall be given priority, as
long as they meet the
qualifications provided for in this
guideline.

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 A child shall be placed only
with a licensed foster family
except in the case of an
emergency. In emergency
cases, the evaluation of the
family should be done not
later than one week after
receiving the child. The
Foster Care License shall be
issued immediately upon
approval of the foster family.
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 Foster care should not be advised
to authorize placement of children
that are intended to be adopted by
the applicant.
Foster care should not be used to
pre-identify a child for adoption.
Children eligible for foster care and
approved foster family referred by
the Local Government Units (LGUs)
shall be presented to the regional
foster care matching conference.
All placements must be covered by
a Foster Placement Authority.
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A licensed foster family shall take
care of only one (1) infant or a
maximum of three (3) older
children at any given time except
where siblings have to be together
with one foster family. In case of a
child with special needs, only one
child shall be placed with a foster
family at a time.

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No applicant shall be disqualified
by mere reason of Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity
(SOGI) of Foster Parent/s (e.g.
heterosexual, homosexual or
bisexual, lesbian, gay), religious
affiliations, disabilities and
indigenous group membership.

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 Eligibility
Who are Children Eligible for
Foster Placement?
A child who is abandoned,
surrendered, neglected,
dependent or orphaned.
A child who is a victim of
sexual, physical, or any other
form of abuse or exploitation;
A child with special needs;

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 A child whose family members are
temporarily or permanently unable
or unwilling to provide the child
with adequate care.

A child who needs long-term care

and close family ties but who
cannot be placed for adoption;

A child whose adoption has been

disrupted;

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 A child who is under socially difficult
circumstances such as, but not limited
to, a street child, a child in armed
conflict or a victim of child labor or
trafficking, displaced children due to
disaster/children who survived
disaster.
A child who committed a minor offense
and was released on recognizance, or
who is in custody supervision or whose
case is dismissed; and
A child who is in need of special
protection as assessed by a Social
Worker, an agency or the Department.

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Implementing
Procedures

14
 A. Recruitment and
Development of Foster Parents

DSWD recruits,
thru
LGU/LCPC/Agency
prospective
Foster Parents

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 WHAT ARE THE
QUALIFICATIONS OF A
FOSTER PARENT?
Of legal age;
At least 16 years older than the
child unless the foster parent is a
relative;
At least 25 years of age, may
either be married, widowed,
separated or single;
Must demonstrate financial &
emotional stability;
foster parents family should be in
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good health, emotionally stable &
 Have a genuine interest in
parenting a non-related
child and;

Should be willing to help the

child reunite with his birth
family or move into an
adoptive family when the
time comes.

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 Required Documents
1. Birth Certificate
2. Medical certificate
3. ITR or certificate of Employment
4. NBI Clearance or Police Clearance
5. Brgy. Certificate stating that the
applicant is a resident of the barangay,
length of his residence, and that his is of
good moral character
6. Recent photo and where applicable,
his/her family
7.Such other document that the DSWD,
Agency or LGU may require
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 CAN ONE CHOOSE THE
AGE & GENDER OF THE
CHILD ONE WANTS
TO FOSTER?

Yes. The foster families

preferences in terms of
gender, age & other
information of the child they
wish to foster shall be
considered but the paramount
consideration is the best
welfare & interest of the child.
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B. Submission of Home
Study Report
Prospective
Foster Parent
applies
for license

Social Worker
submits Home
Study Report
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C. Issuance of Foster Family
Care License

DSWD issues
Foster Family
Care License

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D. Preparation of Child
Study Report

DSWD/LGU/
Agency
admits child

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E. Matching

The matching shall be done in

three levels by the Foster Care
Committee:
a)Agency
b) DSWD-Field Office
c) DSWD-Special Operations
Office
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F. Composition of Foster
Care Committee
a) A registered social worker of the
Department whose expertise is on child
welfare cases;
b) A lawyer specializing on child and youth
welfare cases;
c) A pediatrician;
d) A Psychologist/Psychiatrist;
e) A representative of non-government
organization (endorsed by the
Association of Child Caring Agencies of
the Philippines).
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Placement

A child shall be placed only with a

licensed Foster Parent and only after
the issuance of a Foster Placement
Authority (FPA), except in cases of
emergency, as described under Rule
12.5

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Emergency Placement
Matching may be dispensed with in cases
of emergency such as, but not limited to
the following:
a.The child is found during the late hours
of the evening or during the weekend
b.The child is displaced due to disaster or
armed conflict
c.The child needs immediate medical
attention; or
d.The child is at risk of further neglect,
physical and/or sexual abuse and
maltreatment by his or her
parent/guardian or custodian 26
In such instance, the following
steps shall be observed:
The social worker shall place the child with
a licensed Foster Parent(s) in the area. If
there is no available licensed Foster Parent
in the area, the social worker shall place
the child with potential Foster Parent(s)
identified with the assistance of barangay
officials and/or the LCPC.
Within 24 hours from the placement, the
social worker of the DSWD Field Office,
agency or LGU shall report the placement
to his/her superior for confirmation. The
superior of the social worker shall then
inform the DSWD Field Office within 48
hours. 27
In such instance, the following
steps shall be observed:

Within 72 hours from the placement,

the social worker shall conduct an
evaluation to determine whether or
not the foster child should remain
with the Foster Parent(s).
Within 1 week from the placement,
the Foster Parent(s) shall apply for
Foster Family Care License or FPA.
Otherwise, the foster child shall be
transferred to a licensed Foster
Parent(s) 28
G. Issuance of Foster
Placement Authority

DSWD issues
Foster
Placement
Authority
* with exceptions

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H. Supervision of Foster
Care Placement

Social Worker
supervises
the placement

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 I. Grounds for Termination

DSWD
terminates
placement

Return of the child to his/her biological family

Placement for adoption
Referral to another foster family or residential care facility
Death of the child/foster parent
Expiration of the FPA
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Placement is detrimental/harmful for the welfare of the child e.g. abuse
LONG-TERM FOSTER PLACEMENT

Child has been under foster care

for more than 7 years

Childs return to biological

parents
or placement in an adoptive
family
is not imminent
If child is over 10 years old, child
consents
 Long Term Foster Care Commitment

Long Term Foster Care

Commitment - If Foster
Parent terminates
placement before the child
turns 18, they must provide
for the childs education and
needs.
-Such provision shall be
made in consultation with th
e social worker & reduced
 LONG-TERM FOSTER PLACEMENT

Child and Home Study Reports

for cases that are recommended
for long-term foster placement
shall be forwarded to Central
Office for presentation in the
matching conference to be
attended by the National Foster
The Committee.
Care social worker of the child
and the foster parents must
present the case in the
matching conference in the
 LONG-TERM FOSTER PLACEMENT

The National Foster Care Committee

shall recommend regarding its
decision on the placement of the
foster child with the foster parents
for long-term foster placement to
the DSWD-Undersecretary for
Operations and Programs Group
(OPG) for approval of the Long-Term
Foster Placement
Once approved Authority.
by the DSWD-
Undersecretary for OPG, the Long-
Term Foster Placement Authority
shall be issued to the concerned
CAN FOSTER PARENTS
ADOPT THEIR FOSTER
CHILD/REN?

Yes. A foster family may

apply to adopt a foster
child placed under their
care when the child
becomes legally available
for adoption.
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Assistance and Incentives
Foster Subsidy
Children Health Insurance
Support Care Services
Foster
Additional Tax
Parents Exemption
Income Tax Exemption
Agencies Qualified as Donee
Allowable Tax
Deduction
Donors Exempt from Donors
Tax
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Parameters for Subsidy
Foster Child
Php3,000.
w/ Special
Need 00
Php5,000
Foster .00
Parents of Php2,000.
children w/ 00
special need
Foster Child Php2,500.
w/o special
00 Php4,000
need
Regular Php1,500. .00
Foster
00 38
Parents
 Assistance and Incentives

DSWD-Field Offices
Agency

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 Assistance and Incentives
Agency
The Agency shall submit to the Field
Office the names of the foster children
needing subsidy and their
recommendation, subject to the
assessment and approval of the FO.
The monthly provision of subsidy shall
be released directly to the foster parents
The DSWD shall provide the subsidy for
foster children while the Agency shall
subsidize eligible foster parents.
The venue for the release of financial
assistance is either at the Field Office or
at the Agency. 40
 Assistance and Incentives

The following are the

requirements for the
disbursement of funds for the
subsidy:

1. Foster Care License

2. Foster Placement Authority
3. Project Proposal
4. Document showing the 41
 Effectivity

13th day of October , 2014

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THANK
YOU!!!
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