(a) The county welfare director shall, prior to the issuance of any foster family home license, ensure that the county licensing staff, or the placement staff, conducts one or more in-home interviews with the prospective foster parent sufficient to collect information on caregiver qualifications that may be used by the placement agency to evaluate the ability, willingness, and readiness of the prospective foster parent to meet the varying needs of children. The inability of a prospective foster parent to meet the varying needs of children shall not, in and of itself, preclude a prospective foster parent from obtaining a foster family home license.
(b) All in-home interviews required by this section shall be on an in-person basis.
(c) If the in-home interview is conducted by the licensing agency, it shall be a part of the licensing record, and shall be shared with the placement agency pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 1798.24 of the Civil Code.
(d) The in-home interview required by this section shall be completed no later than 120 days following notification by the licensing agency.
(e) No license shall be issued unless an in-home interview has been conducted as required by this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 918, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2003.)