RA 10165: Foster Care Act of 2012

Section 3. Definition of Terms. –

For purposes of this Act, the following terms are defined:

  1. Agency refers to any child-caring or child-placing institution licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to implement the foster care program.

  2. Child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age, or one who is over eighteen (18) but is unable to fully take care of or protect oneself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition.

  3. Child Case Study Report refers to a written report prepared by a social worker containing all the necessary information about a child.

  4. Child with Special Needs refers to a child with developmental or physical disability.

  5. Family refers to the parents or brothers and sisters, whether of the full or half-blood, of the child.

  6. Foster Care refers to the provision of planned temporary substitute parental care to a child by a foster parent.

  7. Foster Child refers to a child placed under foster care.

  8. Foster Family Care License refers to the document issued by the DSWD authorizing the foster parent to provide foster care.

  9. Foster Parent refers to a person, duly licensed by the DSWD, to provide foster care.

  10. Foster Placement Authority (FPA) refers to the document issued by the DSWD authorizing the placement of a particular child with the foster parent.

  11. Home Study Report refers to a written report prepared by a social worker containing the necessary information on a prospective parent or family member.

  12. Matching refers to the judicious pairing of a child with foster parent and family members based on the capacity and commitment of the foster parent to meet the individual needs of the particular child and the capacity of the child to benefit from the placement.

  13. Parent refers to the biological or adoptive parent or legal guardian of a child.

  14. Placement refers to the physical transfer of the child with the foster parent.

  15. Relatives refer to the relatives of a child, other than family members, within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity.

  16. Social Worker refers to the registered and licensed social worker of the DSWD, local government unit (LGU) or agency.