Statutes | Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Law Title 5, Chapter 6 ยง 3 | 2020
a. All members of the household shall be in such physical and mental health as will not adversely affect either the health of the Child or the quality and manner of his care.
b. Members of the Foster Family shall be of good character and standing in the community. They shall never have been convicted of a sex offense and shall not have had any felony convictions within the last five years. Exceptions concerning non-sexual felony convictions may be made, provided that adequate information is submitted and reviewed indicating that a significant change of character has occurred.
c. The foster parents shall be of suitable temperament to care for the foster Child, and shall understand the special needs of the Child as an Indian person and a member of the tribal community.
d. Foster parents shall be at least 21 years of age, but there shall be no upper age level, provided that the foster parent has the physical and emotional stamina to deal with the care and guardianship of a foster Child. Foster parents shall be willing, when necessary, to cooperate with the 26 biological parents and shall be willing to help the family re-establish the necessary family ties.
e. A Foster Home need not be composed of both a male and female foster parent. CPS may certify a Foster Home with a single foster parent provided that the foster parent displays the qualifications necessary to raise a foster Child.
f. The foster parents shall have an income sufficient to care for all members of the foster family. CPS may take into account any tribal or state benefits when determining the financial ability of the foster parents compared to the financial needs of the Child.
g. Any time a pre-school foster Child is placed in a Foster Home, there must be at least one foster parent at home full time, unless the foster parent has obligations outside the home that necessitate day care, in which case, the foster parent shall show the ability and availability to provide appropriate day care for the pre-school foster Child. For school age Children, the foster parent must show the Child care arrangements which will be made for those periods of time when both foster parents are employed. Infants and young Children shall never be left alone without competent supervision.
h. Except without specific approval by the HHS Committee, a Foster Home shall not be licensed whenever any member of the family is mentally ill, on convalescent status, is on parole or probation, or is an inmate of a penal or correctional institution.
i. The standards CPS shall use in judging the above criteria shall be those of the tribal community.