Words & Terms Used in Foster Care

ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD: Attention Deficit Hypertivity Disorder

Agency: Foster Family Care Agency, A children and youth social service agency subject to the requirements of the Dept of Public Welfare

Child: An individual who is one of the following:

1. Under the age of 18 years.
2. Under the age of 21 years, committed an act of delinquency before reaching the age of 18 years and remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
3. Under the age of 21 years, was adjudicated dependent before reaching the age of 18 years and, while engaged in a course of instruction or treatment, requests the court to retain jurisdiction until the course has been completed.

Client Supervisor: Your client’s caseworker and the caseworker assigned to supervise your home. He/she will make regular visits to your home at least every two weeks and will make unannounced visits at least every few months. Client supervisors are responsible for developing your client’s treatment plan and assisting you with carrying out the needed treatment. Your client supervisor is your link to the agency. All routine questions are to be directed to your client supervisor.

County Agency: The single county Children and Youth Social Service Agency

Demerits: In reference to school behavior, demerits are given out for poor behavior. When a certain number is met the student is restricted from non academic activities for that marking period.

Ex: 2 demerits given for being tardy to class.

FFCA: Foster Family Care Agency

Facility: The physical location or site, including buildings, grounds, supplies and equipment, as well as the staff involved in operating programs governed by The Dept of Public Welfare.

Host Parent/Provider Parent: These are terms for "Foster Parent". The term Host Parent / Provider Parent appears more and more on new forms. The Host Parent term goes along with identifying the "Foster Child" or "MR Adult" or "Related Parties" as the "Client". It gets confusing but it is a beginning to put professionalism into the system. Of course you don’t call your foster child "the client" when you are talking with them. This is an internal term used in dealing with the system.

IEP: How to Participate Effectively in the IEP Process - Individual Education Plan

ISP: An individual service plan. A written document describing long-range goals and short-range objectives for the provision of social services for a child

Mental / Emotional Abuse: Injury to the feelings or self-worth.
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MH: Mental Health

MR: Mental Retardation

Noxious Substances: used to cause abuse. Example: making a child eat or placing on or in them for the purpose of abuse any of the following examples- soap, pepper, tabasco sauce, alcohol, non-food items, etc.
More Info

Physical Abuse: Injury to the body.

Provider Parent: Parents who provide care to clients in a variety of different programs. It includes foster parents, family living parents, community home staff, host home parents, respite care parents, and so on...

RSP: Residential Service Plan; A plan describing past behavior problems, with goals and reinforcement information to eliminate the unwanted behavior.

Seizures: Epileptic seizure, Epilepsy- petit & grand mal, convulsion.
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Washington University Epilepsy Information

Sexual Abuse: Injury or exploitation of a child’s body for the purpose of sexual gratification on the part of the abuser.
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STDs: Sexually transmitted diseases

For a more complete listing, see our Glossary of Terms.