The foster assistant is the natural person, certified under the conditions of Law no. 323/2024 for the approval of Ordinance no. 27/2024 regarding the conditions for obtaining the certification, certification procedure, and status of the foster assistant, employee of the Mehedinti General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection, who ensures, through the activity carried out at their home/residence, the raising, care, and education of the child during the application of the special protective measure of placement/urgent placement for the child temporarily or permanently separated from their parents or, as the case may be, during the reassignment period to another foster assistant.

a. Necessary conditions to become a foster assistant

The person who wishes to become a foster assistant must cumulatively meet the following conditions:

1. have domicile in Mehedinti county;

2. be a graduate of vocational or high school education;

3. have reached the age of 21;

4. through their behavior in society and psychological profile, present moral guarantees regarding the raising, care, and education of children

5. the person and spouse present affective availability in relationships with children, confirmed following psychological evaluation;

6. the spouse and children who have reached the age of 14 and who have the same domicile or, as the case may be, the same residence as the applicant, express their agreement regarding receiving a child/children into the family;

7. has their domicile or, as the case may be, residence in a locality with access to educational, medical services for the child/children to be received in placement and, as the case may be, to habilitation/rehabilitation services for the child with disabilities;

8. has the right of use over a dwelling that adequately covers the needs of food preparation, hygiene, education, and rest for its users, including those of the children to be received in placement and for whom individualized space for rest and homework can be ensured;

9. at least one of the adult family members earns income, except the foster assistant, if they live with one or more members

10. has not exceeded the standard retirement age foreseen by Law no. 360/2023 regarding the public pension system;

11. has not suffered a conviction by final court decision for intentionally committing an offense against the person, against authority, against the administration of justice, for corruption and service offenses, as well as for drug trafficking offenses, regarding the regime of doping substances, illegal operations with precursors or other products likely to have psychoactive effects, or is registered with mentions in the automated national register regarding persons who have committed sexual offenses, exploitation of persons, or offenses against minors;

12. does not have in the family members who have reached the age of 14 years or other persons living together who have been convicted by final court decision for an offense from the category stipulated at letter b). or are registered with mentions in the automated national register regarding persons who have committed sexual offenses, exploitation of persons, or offenses against minors;

13. has not been deprived of parental rights by final court decision or the exercise of parental rights has been prohibited as a complementary punishment;

14. does not suffer from communicable diseases that could endanger the health of the child;

15. does not have in the family members or other adults living with them who suffer from communicable diseases that could endanger the health of the child;

16. does not have a history of violence for which a provisional protection order or, as the case may be, a protection order has been issued according to Law no. 217/2003 for preventing and combating domestic violence, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions, or according to Law no.26/2024 regarding the protection order, or has in the family members or other adults living with them for whom such orders have been issued;

17. has not had or, as the case may be, does not have one or more biological children in the special protection system;

18. has not consented to the adoption of their own child, except if the child was adopted by the spouse;

19. does not suffer from mental illnesses, is not dependent on alcohol, drugs, or other psychotropic substances;

20. does not have in the family members or other adults living with them, who suffer from mental illnesses, are dependent on alcohol, drugs, or other psychotropic substances;

21. the professional foster assistant certification has not been withdrawn, except for the situation when it was withdrawn at their request.

Necessary documents

The person who wishes to become a foster assistant addresses an evaluation request to the management of DGASPC Mehedinti.

The following documents must be attached to the evaluation request:

a) the applicant's curriculum vitae;

b) certified copy by the directorate, or as the case may be, by the applicant, of the applicant's identity card, long-term residence permit, or, as applicable, permanent residence card and, as the case may be, for each person living with them;

c) certified copy by the directorate, or as the case may be, by the applicant, of the applicant's birth certificate and, as applicable, for each person living with them;

d) certified copy by the directorate, or as the case may be, by the applicant, of the marriage certificate or divorce decision/divorce certificate, if applicable;

e) certified copy by the directorate, or as the case may be, by the applicant, of their diploma;

f) certified copy by the directorate, or as the case may be, by the applicant, of the property title or any other document certifying the right of use of the dwelling;

g) the applicant's criminal record certificate and, as applicable, for each person over 14 years old living with them;

h) the applicant's behavioral integrity certificate and, as applicable, for each adult living with them;

i) income certificate or other documents certifying the applicant's income or, as applicable, at least one of the adult family members living with them;

j) certificate issued by the family doctor regarding the applicant's health status, specifying that they do not suffer from communicable diseases and, as applicable, for each adult living with them;

k) medical certificate issued by the specialist doctor specifying that the applicant, or as applicable, adults living with them, do not suffer from mental illness;

l) authentic self-responsibility declaration stating that the applicant is not in one of the following situations:

- has not been deprived of parental rights by final court decision or has been prohibited the exercise of parental rights as a complementary punishment;

- has not had or, as the case may be, does not have one or more biological children in the special protection system;

- has not consented to the adoption of their own child, except if the child was adopted by the spouse;

- the professional foster assistant certification has not been withdrawn, except for the situation when it was withdrawn at their request.

m) recommendations from the neighbors, applicant's relatives, other members of the community/people from their social circle or, as applicable, from local public administration authorities, regarding the applicant's social behavior and, as applicable, the family members living with them;

The evaluation request will be resolved within 90 calendar days from the date of registration with the directorate.

After the social and psychological evaluation, for the purpose of preparing for the activity of foster assistant, the applicant participates in professional training courses, according to a program developed by the National Authority for Child Rights Protection and Adoption, in collaboration with representatives of the academic environment, which will last 80 hours, of which 50 hours theory and 30 hours practice.

Professional training of foster assistants is done by the directorates, as authorized training providers in accordance with O.G no.129/2000 regarding professional training of adults, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions.

Certification

The applicant who has received the final evaluation report of their capacity to become a foster assistant, with a proposal for issuance of the certificate, submits, at the directorate headquarters from their domicile or, as applicable, residence, an application addressed to CPC Mehedinti requesting the issuance of the foster assistant certificate, which is resolved within 30 days from the date of registration with the directorate.

Throughout the evaluation, the person requesting the foster assistant certificate is obliged to inform the evaluation team members of any changes that affect the fulfillment of one or more of the necessary conditions to become a foster assistant, stipulated in this procedure, attaching, as applicable, supporting documents.

CPC Mehedinti, after analyzing the final evaluation report of the applicant’s capacity to become a foster assistant and hearing the applicant, presented by one of the evaluation team members, issues a motivated decision regarding theacceptance or, as the case may be, rejection of the application for issuance of the foster assistant certificate. The certificate is annexed to the CPC decision.

CPC may, in justified situations, also hear other persons, from whom it can request additional information it considers necessary for the acceptance or, as the case may be, rejection of the application for issuance of the foster assistant certificate. The foster assistant certificate is issued for an indefinite period and is endorsed every two years.