Religious Rights of Youth in Out-of-Home Care - Alaska

Youths' Religious Rights
Citation: Foster Children and Youth Rights

In policy: A youth in foster care has the right to practice their cultural and religious beliefs and to be encouraged and supported in doing so.

Agency Responsibilities 
Citation: CPS Man. § 6.5.4; Resource Family Handbook

In policy: An administrator or foster parent must understand child development. A foster parent shall recognize, encourage, and support the religious beliefs, ethnic and cultural heritage, and expressed religious preferences of the birth parents for their child. A foster parent shall provide structure and daily activities designed to promote the individual physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional development of the children in their care.

From the Resource Family Handbook: It is important for the foster parent to recognize the religious beliefs of a child's family and respect the religious preferences expressed by the child's parents. The foster parent also needs to respect the child's religious preference. This means locating a resource and enabling (including providing transportation) the child to attend services of the child's religion.

The foster parent may take a child to their own place of worship if the child and the parents do not object. They cannot require the child to attend church or prevent church attendance as a consequence or a punishment for a child's behavior.

Addressing Grievances

This issue is not addressed in the laws and policies reviewed.