§ 131D-10.6A. Training by the Division of Social Services required.
§ 131D‑10.6A. Trainingby the Division of Social Services required.
(a) The Division ofSocial Services, Department of Health and Human Services, shall require aminimum of 30 hours of preservice training for foster care parents either priorto licensure or within six months from the date a provisional license is issuedpursuant to G.S.131D‑10.3, and a mandated minimum of 10 hours ofcontinuing education for all foster care parents annually after the year inwhich a license is obtained.
(b) (See Editor's Note)The Division of Social Services shall establish minimum training requirementsfor child welfare services staff. The minimum training requirements establishedby the Division are as follows:
(1) Child welfareservices workers shall complete a minimum of 72 hours of preservice trainingbefore assuming direct client contact responsibilities. In completing thisrequirement, the Division of Social Services shall ensure that each childwelfare worker receives training on family centered practices and State andfederal law regarding the basic rights of individuals relevant to the provisionof child welfare services, including the right to privacy, freedom from duressand coercion to induce cooperation, and the right to parent.
(2) Child protectiveservices workers shall complete a minimum of 18 hours of additional trainingthat the Division of Social Services determines is necessary to adequately meettraining needs.
(3) Foster care andadoption workers shall complete a minimum of 39 hours of additional trainingthat the Division of Social Services determines is necessary to adequately meettraining needs.
(4) Child welfareservices supervisors shall complete a minimum of 72 hours of preservicetraining before assuming supervisory responsibilities and a minimum of 54 hoursof additional training that the Division of Social Services determines isnecessary to adequately meet training needs.
(5) Child welfareservices staff shall complete 24 hours of continuing education annually. Incompleting this requirement, the Division of Social Services shall provide eachchild welfare services staff member with annual update information on familycentered practices and State and federal law regarding the basic rights ofindividuals relevant to the provision of child welfare services, including theright to privacy, freedom from duress and coercion to induce cooperation, andthe right to parent.
The Division of SocialServices may grant an exception in whole or in part to the requirement undersubdivision (1) of this subsection to child welfare workers who satisfactorilycomplete or are enrolled in a masters or bachelors program after July 1, 1999,from a North Carolina social work program accredited pursuant to the Council onSocial Work Education. The program's curricula must cover the specificpreservice training requirements as established by the Division of SocialServices.
The Division of SocialServices shall ensure that training opportunities are available for countydepartments of social services and consolidated human service agencies to meetthe training requirements of this subsection. (1995, c. 324, s. 23.25; 1997‑390, s. 11.1; 1997‑443,s. 11A.118(a); 2000‑67, s. 11.14(c); 2003‑304, s. 4.2.)