| (a) A child's rights are cumulative of any other rights
granted by law or other Licensing rules.
(b) The following categories include the child's rights
that you must adhere to:
(1) Safety and care, including:
(A) The right to good care and treatment that meets
the child's needs in the most family-like setting possible;
(B) The right to be free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation;
and
(C) The right to fair treatment;
(2) Family contacts, including the right to maintain
regular contact with the child's parents and siblings, unless restrictions
are necessary because of the child's best interest, the decision of
an appropriate professional, or a court order;
(3) Living a normal life, including:
(A) The right to be able to communicate in a language
or any other means that is understandable to the child at admission
or within a reasonable time after an emergency admission, if applicable,
such as having a plan for an interpreter, having at least one person
at the operation at all times who can communicate with the child in
the child's own language, or other means to communicate with the child
in the child's own language;
(B) The right to receive educational services appropriate
to the child's age and developmental level;
(C) The right to have the child's religious needs met;
(D) The right to participate in childhood activities,
including unsupervised childhood activities away from the operation
and the caregivers, that are appropriate for the child's age, maturity,
and developmental level;
(E) The right to privacy, including sending and receiving
unopened mail, making and receiving phone calls, keeping a personal
journal, and having visitors, unless the child's best interest, appropriate
professionals, or court order necessitates restrictions;
(F) The right to personal care, hygiene, and grooming
equipment and supplies and training in how to use them;
(G) The right to have comfortable clothing, which is
suitable to the child's age and size and similar to the clothing
of other children in the community. Teenagers should have reasonable
opportunities to select the clothing;
(H) The right to clothing that protects the child against
the weather;
(I) The right to have personal items in the child's
room and to get additional items within reasonable limits;
(J) The right to personal space in the child's bedroom
to store the child's clothes and belongings;
(K) The right to be informed of search policies and
be free of unreasonable searches and unreasonable removal of personal
items;
(L) Depending on the child's age and maturity, the
right to seek employment, keep the child's own money, have a bank
account in the child's name, and get paid for any work done for the
operation as part of the child's service plan or vocational training,
with the exception of assigned routine duties that relate to the child's
living environment, such as cleaning the child's room, or other chores,
or work assigned as a disciplinary measure;
(M) The right to consent in writing before taking part
in any publicity or fund raising activity for the operation, including
the use of the child's photograph;
(N) The right to refuse to make public statements showing
gratitude to the operation; and
(O) The right to not be pressured to get an abortion,
give up her child for adoption, or parent her child, if applicable;
(4) Discipline, including:
(A) The right to be free from any harsh, cruel, unusual,
unnecessary, demeaning, or humiliating treatment or punishment. This
means the child must not be:
(i) Shaken;
(ii) Subjected to or threatened with corporal punishment,
including spanking or hitting the child;
(iii) Forced to do unproductive work that serves no
purpose except to demean the child, such as moving rocks from one
pile to another or digging a hole and then filling it in;
(iv) Denied food, sleep, a bathroom, mail, or family
visits as punishment;
(v) Subjected to remarks that belittles or ridicules
the child or the child's family;
(vi) Threatened with the loss of placement or shelter
as punishment; and
(vii) Subjected to demeaning behavior to embarrass,
control, harm, intimidate, or isolate the child. "Demeaning behavior"
may include using physical force, rumors, threats, or inappropriate
comments;
(B) The right to discipline that is appropriate to
the child's age, maturity, and developmental level; and
(C) The right to have restrictions or disciplinary
policies explained to the child at admittance and when the measures
are imposed;
(5) Plans for the child while in care, including:
(A) The right to have a comprehensive service plan
that addresses the child's needs, including transitional and discharge
planning; and
(B) The right to actively participate in the development
of the child's service plan within the limits of the child's comprehension
and ability to manage the information. The child has the right to
a copy or summary of the plan. A child 14 years of age or older has
the right to review and sign the service plan, unless there is a reason
not to provide the plan;
(6) Medical care and records, including:
(A) The right to medical, dental, vision, and mental
health care and developmental services that adequately meet the child's
needs. The right to request that the care or services be separate
from adults (other than young adults) who are receiving services;
(B) The right to be free of unnecessary or excessive
medication; and
(C) The right to confidential care and treatment, including
keeping medical records and operation records private and only discussing
them when it is about the child's care; and
(7) Complaints, including the right to make calls,
reports, or complaints without interference, coercion, punishment,
retaliation, or threats of punishment or retaliation. The child may
make these calls, reports, or complaints anonymously. Depending upon
the nature of the complaint, the child has the right to call, report,
or complain to:
(A) The DFPS Texas Abuse/Neglect Hotline at 1-800-252-5400;
(B) The HHSC Ombudsman for Children and Youth Currently
in Foster Care at 1-844-286-0769;
(C) The DFPS Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-720-7777;
or
(D) Disability Rights of Texas at 1-800-252-9108.
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