LogFAQs > #961536053

I worked as a CPS case manager for kids/families in foster care.

To be a foster parent for them, you should get in contact with your brother's CPS case manager and let them know you want to be considered as a kinship caregiver for your nieces/nephews. Being in another state, the CPS agency of Louisiana would have to file an ICPC (Interstate Compact for Placement of Children) placement request with your home state (Iowa).

You will most likely have to do some sort of background screening, fingerprinting, and a home study (basically a social worker comes to your home, interviews you to make sure you have the right attitude and the means/resources to care for the children). A caseworker in Iowa will look at the results of such and if everything looks good, would recommend placement of the children in your home to the Louisiana agency.

Unfortunately it tends to be a long process to go through all the approvals and paperwork for an ICPC placement. I would also encourage you to attend the dependency court hearings for the family by phone/video conference if possible (I know my state was still having all the court hearings done virtually due to COVID before I left the agency). The dependency/juvenile court is the ultimate authority on whether the children can be moved to another placement (the CPS agency generally has to file with the court for a change in physical custody to move them from one foster home to another). The judge can also issue court orders to have the ICPC process started if the CPS agency is resistant or otherwise drags their feet about considering you/your family as a foster caregiver.