Holiday House Guests and Travel
During the holiday season you may have extended family and friends visiting your home, or you may also be traveling to visit others. It is important to discuss both of these possibilities with your Aspiranet Social Worker as soon as possible, as both may require planning ahead.
Visitors & Houseguests in the Foster Home
Discuss with your Aspiranet Social Worker possible visitors and houseguests that may be coming to your home for the holidays. Also important to discuss are the safety and supervision of your foster children when there are additional people and activities in the home.
It is also necessary to consider the comfort and protection of your foster child(ren) when planning for visitors and houseguests in the home. Houseguests must not dislodge a foster child from his/her bedroom, and anyone 18 or over may not share a bedroom with a child.
Foster Family Homes Regulation 89379 (a) (3): Except for infants (under age 2) children shall not share a bedroom with an adult.
Discuss sleeping arrangements for houseguests, and if there is not adequate bed space, the houseguest will need to have other accommodations.
Also discuss with your Aspiranet Social Worker the length of time it is anticipated a houseguest will stay.
The Aspiranet Foster Parent Manual states that if a houseguest visits the foster home for more than 14 continuous nights or 21 nights in a calendar year, the house guest must complete the “Age 18 & Over Resident in the Home” packet. (Foster Parent Manual page POL-7).
For this reason, it is important to inform your Aspiranet Social Worker of all houseguests during the holidays and throughout the year.
Out-of-County Travel
If you are planning to travel during the holidays, you are encouraged to include your foster children in your family travels and activities.
In order for foster children to travel outside of the county, inform your Aspiranet Social Worker as soon as possible for advance approval to be obtained from the child’s County Social Worker.
