The Department of Children & Families is one of the state agencies charged with assisting abused and neglected children. The department does this by providing support services to children and their families, and, in some cases, providing a place outside of the home for children to live while their family problems are resolved.

In Florida each year, there are between 9,000 and 10,000 children who are removed from their home because they experienced neglect or abuse at the hands of a family member. It is no longer safe to live at home, at least for awhile ... but perhaps forever.

If there are no relatives able to care for them, they are placed in a group home or with a foster family. What sets foster parents apart is their ability to love a child like one of their own, regardless of whether the child lives with them for a month or for more than a year. Foster parents have the challenging task of providing an atmosphere that helps a child heal and prepare to go back home, if possible, or on to a new permanent home. Foster parents are a vital resource for these children as they wait in limbo, between a past that was painful and a future that is uncertain.

You may visit the DCF Website: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/fostercare/

The Department of Health inspects foster homes using DCF's Family Foster Care rule, Chapter 65C-13 of the Florida Administrative Code (FAC). An inspection is completed at the request of the foster home's licensing agency.

At foster homes licensed by the Department of Children and Families, an environmental health inspection ensures good environmental health standards are in place at the home for children placed there. Our purpose is to prevent or minimize the risk of transmitting disease, injury, or bodily harm from environmental conditions. The list below includes all the primary areas the environmental health inspector checks for during their inspection visit.

• Food Holding Temperatures
• Vermin/Animal Control
• Plumbing
• Water Supply
• Garbage and Rubbish Removal
• Septic Systems

Areas Related To Disease Control and Injury Prevention Need Special Attention

• Check the refrigerator to ensure it can maintain a safe temperature
• Check that toilet and bath plumbing are in working order
• Check if septic system is in failure
• Check garbage trash removal schedule
• Check for screening on windows/doors when applicable
• Water temperature at the indoor faucet will not scald
• Review water supply test results for homes on private wells