Foster Care

1
Foster Care

• Coun 150 Laws Relating to Children
• Richard M. Cartier
• Class 7 Pages 167-201

2
Child Protective Services

• Responsibilities
• No duty to intervene
• Limited tort liability (immunity)
• Systemic problems
• Inadequate resources -- / staff / programs
• Secrecy
• Wrongful removal

3
Reunification or Termination

• The reasonable efforts requirement
• The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997
• Requires states to terminate parental rights if
  the child cannot be returned home
• Terminating parental rights

4
More on termination . . .

• Due Process protections for parents
• Grounds for termination
• Presumptive grounds for termination

5
After termination

• Long term foster care
• Guardianship
• Adoption

6
Foster Care

• Temporary foster placements
• Licensed private homes
• Group homes or institutions
• Kinship care
• Approximately 550,000 children
• Aging out of foster care

7
Significant Cases

• DeShaney
• Smith v. OFFER
• See Tort Liability p. 187