(20 ILCS 505/5.26)

Sec. 5.26. Foster children; exit interviews.

(a) Unless clinically contraindicated, the Department shall ensure that an exit interview is conducted with every child age 5 and over who leaves a foster home.

(1) The interview shall be conducted by a caseworker, mental health provider, or clinician from the Department's Division of Clinical Practice.

(2) The interview shall be conducted within 5 days of the child's removal from the home.

(3) The interviewer shall comply with the provisions of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act if the child discloses abuse or neglect as defined by that Act.

(4) The interviewer shall immediately inform the licensing agency if the child discloses any information that would constitute a potential licensing violation.

(5) Documentation of the interview shall be (i) maintained in the foster parent's licensing file, (ii) maintained in the child's case file, (iii) included in the service plan for the child, and (iv) and provided to the child's guardian ad litem and attorney appointed under Section 2-17 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

(6) The determination that an interview in compliance with this Section is clinically contraindicated shall be made by the caseworker, in consultation with the child's mental health provider, if any, and the caseworker's supervisor. If the child does not have a mental health provider, the caseworker shall request a consultation with the Department's Division of Clinical Practice regarding whether an interview is clinically contraindicated. The decision and the basis for the decision shall be documented in writing and shall be (i) maintained in the foster parent's licensing file, (ii) maintained in the child's case file, and (iii) attached as part of the service plan for the child.

(7) The information gathered during the interview shall be dependent on the age and maturity of the child and the circumstances of the child's removal. The interviewer's observations and any information relevant to understanding the child's responses shall be recorded on the interview form. At a minimum, the interview shall address the following areas:

(A) How the child's basic needs were met in the home: who prepared food and was there sufficient food; whether the child had appropriate clothing; sleeping arrangements; supervision appropriate to the child's age and special needs; was the child enrolled in school; and did the child receive the support needed to complete the child's school work.

(B) Access to caseworker, therapist, or guardian ad litem: whether the child was able to contact these professionals and how.

(C) Safety and comfort in the home: how did the child feel in the home; was the foster parent affirming of the child's identity; did anything happen that made the child happy; did anything happen that was scary or sad; what happened when the child did something the child should not have done; if relevant, how does the child think the foster parent felt about the child's family of origin, including parents and siblings; and was the foster parent supportive of the permanency goal.

(D) Normalcy: whether the child felt included in the family; whether the child participated in extracurricular activities; whether the foster parent participated in planning for the child, including child and family team meetings and school meetings.

(b) The Department shall develop procedures, including an interview form, no later than January 1, 2023, to implement this Section.

(c) Beginning July 1, 2023 and quarterly thereafter, the Department shall post on its webpage a report summarizing the details of the exit interviews.

(Source: P.A. 102-763, eff. 1-1-23; 103-22, eff. 8-8-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)