Section 441.113.2. Definitions.

“Age- or developmentally appropriate activities”   means activities or items that are generally accepted as suitable for children of the same chronological age or level of maturity or that are determined to be developmentally appropriate for a child, based on the development of cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities that are typical for an age or age group; and in the case of a specific child, activities or items that are suitable for the child based on the developmental stages attained by the child with respect to the cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities of the child.

“Corporal punishment”   means the intentional physical punishment of a foster child.

“Department”   means the Iowa department of human services and includes the local offices of the department.

“Foster family home”   means a home in which an individual person or married couple wishes to provide or is providing, for a period exceeding 24 consecutive hours, board, room, and care for a child in a single family living unit.

“Reasonable and prudent parent standard”   means the standard characterized by careful and sensible parental decisions that maintain the health, safety, and best interests of a child while at the same time encourage the emotional and developmental growth of the child, that a caregiver shall use when determining whether to allow a child in foster care under the responsibility of the state to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities. For the purposes of this definition, “caregiver” means a foster parent with whom a child in foster care has been placed or a designated official for a child care institution (including group homes, residential treatment, shelters, or other congregate care settings) in which a child in foster care has been placed.

“Reasonable force”   means that force, and no more, which a reasonable person in like circumstances would judge to be necessary to prevent an injury or loss.

“Recruitment and retention contractor”   means the entity that contracts with the department statewide to recruit foster and adoptive parents, complete home studies, and perform activities to support and encourage retention of foster and adoptive parents, or any of its subcontractors.

“Service area manager”   means the department employee responsible for managing department offices and personnel within the service area and for implementing policies and procedures of the department.

“Social work administrator”   means the department employee responsible for supervising the social work staff within a department service area and for implementing service policies and procedures of the department.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 237.

[ ARC 8010B , IAB 7/29/09, effective 10/1/09;    ARC 2069C , IAB 8/5/15, effective 10/1/15;    ARC 2743C , IAB 10/12/16, effective 12/1/16]