How to Become a Placement Resource for a Child

 

KINSHIP CARE

                    

The practice of relatives or “Kin” parenting children when their birth parents are unable is a very strong tradition within Native American culture.  There are two ways that kinship care occurs.

 

 

 

If a child needs to be removed from his/her parent’s care due to abuse or neglect, kinship care is most often the first placement option that is explored.   If you want to be considered to provide kinship care for a relative, contact the agency or CPS office that has placement responsibilities for the child. 

 

Local DSS Offices:     http://dss.sd.gov/offices/

 

BASIC FOSTER CARE

 

Foster care is a protective service that is available to children and families who must be separated from one another due to safety concerns related to child abuse or neglect. 

All foster homes must meet the licensing standards set forth by the child placement agency that issues the license.   

 

Contact Information:

Department of Social Services          (605) 773-3227 or www.FosterourFuture.sd.gov

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe                (701) 854-3431

Sisseton- Wahpeton Oyate                (605) 698-3992

Crow Creek Sioux Tribe                    (605) 245-2322

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe           (605) 997-5055

Oglala Sioux Tribe/ LOWO                (605) 867-5752

Sicangu Child and Family Services   (605) 856-4855

 

TREATMENT FOSTER CARE

 

Treatment foster care is a service bridging foster care and residential treatment.  It utilizes the skills of the child welfare and mental health fields to bring treatment for children with special emotional, behavioral, medical, or developmental challenges in a family setting. The foster parents are a component of the treatment team that develops a plan to help the child address these special needs. 

 

Contact Information:

Children’s Home Society (Sioux Falls)        (605) 334-6004  or    http://www.chssd.org

Children’s Home Society (Rapid City)         (605) 343-2811  or    http://www.chssd.org

Lutheran Social Services (Sioux Falls)       (605) 336-3347   or   http://www.lsssd.org

Lutheran Social Services (Rapid City)        (605) 348-0477   or   http://www.lsssd.org

Northeastern Mental Health Center             (605) 225-1010   or   http://www.nemhc.org

Capital Area Counseling Services              (605) 224-5011   or   http://www.cacsnet.org

Abbott House                                                 (605) 996-2486   or   http://www.abbotthouse.org/

Volunteers of America                                  (605) 339-1199   or   http://www.voa-dakotas.org

Black Hills Special Services Coop             (605) 347-4467   or    http://www.bhssc.org

 

ADOPTION

 

A child’s permanent plan may change to adoption when the child cannot return safely to their birth family and the court has terminated parental rights.  Adoptive parents commit to the child on a permanent basis and assume parental rights and responsibilities.  Relatives can also be considered to adopt.

 

To learn more about adopting a child through the Department of Social Services, go to:  http://dss.sd.gov/adoption/ 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What if my name is on the Central Registry?
  2. Which tribes in South Dakota license foster homes?
  3. Is there financial assistance available?

 

 

What if my name is on the Central Registry?

 

What is the Central Registry?

 

The Central Registry is a computer system that stores private information about parents or other caretakers who have a court finding of child abuse or neglect or a substantiated report of child abuse and neglect found by the Department of Social Services' Division of Child Protection Services.

 

The Central Registry is not available to the public and it is not a sex offender registry.

 

What is the purpose of the Central Registry?

The purpose of the Central Registry is to assure safety of children placed in licensed facilities and homes in South Dakota.

 

After my name has been on the Central Registry, can it be taken off?  

 

South Dakota law allows you to request the removal of you name from the Central Registry after a period of 7 years since the last substantiated finding of child abuse or neglect by the Department, unless your name is on the Central Registry for certain crimes.

 

To request to have you name removed from the Central Registry send a letter to the following address:

 

Department of Social Services

Division of Child Protection Services

700 Governors Drive

Pierre SD 57501

 

Be sure to include the following:

 

 

Which tribes in SD license foster homes?

 

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe                                                          (701) 854-3431

Sisseton- Wahpeton Oyate                                                          (605) 698-3992

Crow Creek Sioux Tribe                                                               (605) 245-2322

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe                                                     (605) 997-5055

Oglala Sioux Tribe/ LOWO                                                           (605) 867-5752

Rosebud Sioux Tribe/ Sicangu Child and Family Services      (605) 856-4855

 

 

 

Is there financial assistance available?

 

There may be financial and/or medical assistance available to help you be a placement for a child.  It is important to discuss your financial needs and the needs of the child(ren) with the agency who has placement responsibilities for the child.   The placing agency can discuss the resources available to help support the child’s placement.