Child Welfare Information Gateway Logo Child Welfare Information Gateway.  Protecting Children, Strengthening Families  
Search Child Welfare Information Gateway
Advanced Search | Search Tips | Search A-Z | Glossary
 
Home About Us FAQs Highlight Press Room Free Subscriptions En Espanol Site Map

View My Cart: 0 Items

Topics Family Centered Practice Child Abuse & Neglect Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect Responding Supporting & Preserving Families Out-of-Home-Care Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
Adoption Systemwide Resources National Foster Care & Adoption Directory Online Catalog Library Search State Statutes Search Statistics User Manual Series Related Organizations Conference Calendar Find Help With a Personal Situation Children's Bureau Express Online Digest Children's Bureau Express Online Digest









Home > Achieving and Maintaining Permanency > Overview > Legal and Court Issues in Permanency > State Laws Related to Permanency

State Laws Related to Permanency

State laws build on Federal laws and provide further guidance for the work of State child welfare agencies in achieving permanency for children in out-of-home care.

Case Planning for Families Involved With Child Welfare Agencies
Series Title: State Statutes Series
Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability: View Publication
Printable Version (PDF - 199 KB)
Year Published: 2005 - 3 pages
A case plan is a written document that may be prepared when a child becomes involved with a State child welfare agency. This fact sheet provides information on when case plans are required, who may participate in the process, and describes the general contents of a case plan. Case plans typically include goals and objectives that the parents must meet in order to achieve a safe home for the child and timeframes for achieving those goals.

Court Hearings for the Permanent Placement of Children
Series Title: State Statutes Series
Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability: View Publication
Printable Version (PDF - 179 KB)
Year Published: 2006 - 4 pages
Court hearings are used to review the status and determine the permanent placement of children who have been placed in out-of-home care, including foster care. The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997 (P.L. 105-89) amended title IV-E of the Social Security Act in an effort to provide added safety and permanency for children in foster placement. ASFA placed an emphasis on expediting and improving planning and decision-making for the permanent placement of children in the child welfare system.

Determining the Best Interests of the Child
Series Title: State Statutes Series
Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability: View Publication
Printable Version (PDF - 168 KB)
Year Published: 2005 - 2 pages
Whenever a court must make a determination as to the custody and/or placement of a child, or must decide on a petition for termination of parental rights, the court must weigh whether that decision will be in the best interests of the child. All States and Territories require that the child's best interests be considered whevever such decisions regarding a child's placement are made. This resource provides the factors that may be considered by the court when making a best interests detemination.

State Child Welfare Legislation 2006 (PDF - 225 KB)
National Conference of State Legislatures (2007)
Documents significant State legislation enacted during calendar year 2006 related to child welfare, including issues such as expedited permanency planning and family involvement in case planning.


 

Related Information Gateway Topics

Achieving & maintaining permanency: State laws related to foster care adoption
Systemwide: State laws on making permanency plans for children in care

 

 

Download FREE Adobe Acrobat® Reader™ to view PDF files located on this site.

Contact Us | Disclaimer and Policies | Link to Us | Children's Bureau | USA.gov

Home | About Us | FAQs | Highlights | Press Room | Free Subscriptions | En Español | Site Map | Family-Centered Practice | Child Abuse & Neglect | Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect | Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect | Supporting & Preserving Families | Out-of-Home Care | Achieving & Maintaining Permanency | Adoption | Systemwide | National Foster Care & Adoption Directory | Online Catalog | Library Search | State Statutes Search | Statistics | User Manual Series | Related Organizations | Conference Calendar | Children's Bureau Express Online Digest | Find Help With a Personal Situation
Department of Health and Human Services Logo