INFORMAL KINSHIP CARE ENROLLMENT

Administrative Procedure

I.    Definitions:

    A.    “Informal Kinship Care” means a living arrangement in which a relative of a child, who is not in the care, custody or guardianship of the local Department of
            Social Services, provides for the care and custody of the child due to a serious family hardship.

    B.    “Receiving agency” means the local education agency for the county where the relative of a child in an informal kinship care relationship resides.

    C.    “Relative” means an adult related to the child by blood or marriage within the fifth degree of consanguinity.

    D.    “Sending agency” means the local education agency for a county where the parent or legal guardian of a child in an informal kinship care relationship resides,
            and as further defined in Education Article, 4-122.1, Annotated Code of Maryland.

    E.    “Serious family hardship” means:

            1.    Death of a parent or legal guardian of the child;
            2.    Serious illness of a parent or legal guardian of the child;
            3.    Drug addiction of a parent or legal guardian of the child;
            4.    Incarceration of a parent or legal guardian of the child;
            5.    Abandonment by a parent or legal guardian of the child;
            6.    Assignment of a parent or legal guardian of a child to active military duty.

II.    Responsibilities:

    A.    The parent or legal guardian of the child in an informal kinship care relationship shall have final decision-making authority regarding the educational needs of the child.

    B.    The relative providing the informal kinship care shall:

                        1.    Submit a sworn affidavit to the Garrett County Board of Education verifying the informal kinship care relationship.
            2.    Notify the Garrett County Board of Education in writing within 30 days after a change occurs in the care or serious family hardship of the child.
            3.    Make reasonable efforts to inform the parent or legal guardian of the child of the informal kinship care relationship.
            4.    Make the full range of educational decisions for the child unless the court
                   a.    Appoints a guardian for the child; or
                   b.    Awards custody to someone other than the relative providing informal kinship care.

    C.    The Garrett County Board of Education (receiving agency) shall:

            1.    Make affidavit forms, with attached instructions, available free of charge at the Office of the Board of Education, the local Department of Social Services
       and  the local Area Agency on Aging.

            2.    Provide an appropriate education for the child.

            3.    Enroll the child as a full-time equivalent student.

            4.    Notify the State Superintendent

                    a.    of the name of the child (children) in an informal kinship care relationship as of December 31 of each year.
        b.    of the preliminary determination of the sending agency that is financially responsible for child.

            5.    Send to the sending agency by January 31 of each year

                    a.    a copy of the notice;
        b.    a copy of the affidavit and supporting documentation for each child for which the sending agency is financially responsible.

            6.    Send to the State Superintendent by January 31 of each year

                    a.    the name of each child in an informal kinship care relationship;
        b.    the name of the sending agency for each child listed.

III.       Affidavit:

            A.    The relative providing the informal kinship care shall file the original sworn affidavit during a school year when the relative begins providing care to the child.

            B.    The relative providing the informal kinship care shall file a sworn affidavit annually at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the school year for each year
        the child continues to live with the relative because of serious family hardship.

C.    The sworn affidavit filed by the relative providing the informal kinship care shall include:

            1.    Death certificate for death;
2.    Verification by physician or hospital for serious illness;
3.    Verification by treatment provider for drug addiction;
4.    Verification by legal system or detention center for incarceration;
5.    Notarized statements from legal guardians or verification from court or social services for abandonment;
6.    Military orders for assignment to military duty; and
7.    Where possible, the telephone number and address of any authority who is legally authorized to reveal information which can verify the 
       assertions in the affidavit.

E.    The supporting documentation shall be consistent with local, State and federal privacy and confidentiality policies and statutes.

            F.     If the relative providing the informal kinship care does not submit the appropriate supporting documentation with the affidavit or within 30 calendar days
                   of submitting the affidavit, the Garrett County Board of Education may withdraw the child or charge the relative school tuition.

            G.    The affidavit shall include notice that:

                    1.    the Garrett County Superintendent may verify the facts given by the relative providing informal kinship care in the affidavit and conduct an audit of
                           the case after the child is enrolled.
                    2.    if fraud or misrepresentation is discovered during an audit, the Garrett County Superintendent shall remove the child from the county public school roll.