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Child Foster Care Home Safety Checklist – Guidance 5 <br />2. Chemicals, detergents, and other toxic substances are not stored with food products or <br />accessible in any way that poses a risk to children - when viewing cupboards, make sure toxic <br />substances are not stored with food items. Also, ensure that toxic substances are not accessible based <br />on the ages and behaviors of foster children. Examples of toxic substances include insecticides or <br />pesticides, cleaning supplies, bleach, detergents, air fresheners, batteries, paint, etc. <br />3. Combustible items are properly stored at least 36 inches from any heating sources - this may <br />include a furnace or water heater. Combustible items are anything that could catch on fire. If there are <br />permanent fixtures that are combustible within 36 inches of a heating source, a fire safety inspection or <br />consultation with the fire marshal may be needed to address the concern. Permanent fixtures do not <br />include the wall next to the heating source. <br />If a home has electric baseboard heating, the applicant must follow the manufacturer’s instructions <br />regarding the recommended space between the baseboard heater and combustible items. Per the <br />Minnesota State Fire Marshal, hot water baseboards do not pose a hazard and do not have a space <br />separation requirement. <br />4. Individual clean linens, towels, and washcloths are provided for each foster child – there <br />must be enough of these items in the home for each foster child. They do not need to be labeled or <br />specific to the child. <br />5. Food is handled and properly stored to prevent contamination, spoilage, or a threat to health <br />– there cannot be food in cupboards, countertops, refrigerators, and freezers that is obviously <br />contaminated or spoiled. There is no need to check every food item for expiration dates. <br />6. Medication is not accessible to children based on age and/or identified safety concerns - <br />discuss where medication is stored based on the ages and behaviors of foster children. This information <br />must also be included in the license holder’s Foster Care Drug and Alcohol Policy. <br />7. Schedule II controlled substances are stored in a locked area - discuss what these medications <br />might be, what the plan is for locking them, and where the locked location will be. The US Drug <br />Administration provides a list of drug schedules. Foster children who are authorized to administer their <br />own medication can have access to it as determined by their case plans. Their medication must still be <br />inaccessible to other children in the home and if it is a Schedule II, it must still be locked. If there are <br />not currently any Schedule II medications, discuss if this changes, the licensing agency must be notified, <br />and the license holder must ensure proper storage. Applicants and license holders are not required to <br />complete medication administration training but are required to document training on medical <br />equipment used to sustain life or monitor a medical condition of an individual in care. <br />While recent Minnesota legislation has changed making recreational cannabis legal, it is still considered <br />a controlled substance and therefore must be stored in a locked area. License holders are required to <br />indicate chemical use and storage on their Foster Care Drug and Alcohol Policy. Minnesota Statues <br />260C.215, subdivision 9 prohibits smoking of any type in the presence of children and in any vehicle <br />used to transport a child or any enclosed space where a child could be exposed to secondhand <br />Page 194 of 379