The proposed bill seeks to update current statutes related to the placement of children in kinship foster care by introducing new requirements for the Department of Child Safety (DCS) and the courts. It would add "extended family member" to the list of individuals DCS must consider for placement and presume that such placements are in the child's best interest. Additionally, the bill mandates that DCS provide written notice to these individuals about the child's situation and the foster care process, while also requiring documentation of their responses to be filed with the court. The bill emphasizes the importance of placing children with or near their siblings unless safety risks are present and mandates regular updates on placement status. Moreover, the bill would require the court to make written findings regarding the best interest of the child during preliminary protective hearings and specify that children in kinship foster care have the same rights as those in traditional foster care. It also includes technical and conforming changes to existing laws, such as replacing outdated language and clarifying definitions related to foster care. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the involvement of family members in child welfare decisions and improve support for children in foster care while removing outdated language.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-501, 8-514.03, 8-514.07, 8-529, 8-801, 8-824, 8-842, 8-509, 36-593.01, 8-821, 8-806, 8-521.01, 41-1750, 92-544, 8-548, 8-521.02, 41-1376, 8-845, 8-823, 8-481, 8-841