Documented efforts must be made to avoid separating the Indian child from his or her parents, relatives, tribe or cultural heritage. Consequently:

(1) When a family identifies Indian ancestry under the federal and state Indian child welfare acts, the children's administration (CA) caseworker has fifteen calendar days, or ten business days, from the date of identification to complete a family ancestry chart and begin the membership inquiry process. A copy of the family ancestry chart will be retained in the child's most current case file volume.

(2) CA staff will contact all identified federally recognized tribes in the case of Indian children being placed in foster care by the department or for whom the department has supervisory responsibility.

(3) If requested by a federally recognized tribe, or if a federally recognized tribe is unavailable the local Indian child welfare advisory committees (LICWAC) as defined under WAC 388-70-600 will serve as resource persons for the purposes of cooperative planning and aid in placement.

(4) The resources of the tribal government, the Indian community, and the department must be used to locate the child's parents and relatives to assist in locating possible placement resources, and to assist in the development of a plan to overcome the problem that brought the child to the attention of the authorities, or the department, or both the authorities and the department.

(5) In planning foster care placements for Indian children, CA will follow the federal and state Indian child welfare acts with regard to placement preference. The case record must document the reasons and circumstances of casework decisions and consideration in those regards.

(6) CA, in partnership with federally recognized tribes and CA contracted agencies, will develop training for staff and caregivers designed to meet the needs of Indian children and their families. CA may also partner with urban Indian organizations, CA LICWACs , national, state and local Indian child welfare organizations, and Native American/Alaskan Native consultants.

(7) The CA must make diligent and ongoing efforts to recruit facilities and/or homes particularly capable of meeting the needs of Indian children.