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

Date: January 2024

Youths' Religious Rights
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 432.525

A child placed in a foster home by a child welfare agency has the right to attend religious services of their choice or to refuse to attend religious services.

Agency Responsibilities 
Citation: Rev. State. §§ 432.540; 432.548; Admin. Regs. § 424.575

A provider of foster care that places a child in a foster home shall do the following:

  • Inform the child of their rights set forth in this chapter
  • Provide the child with a written summary of those rights
  • Provide an additional written copy of the summary to the child upon request

An out-of-home placement with which a child in the custody of the child welfare agency is placed shall do the following:

  • Inform the child of the process for filing a grievance 
  • Provide the child with a summary of that process
  • Provide an additional written copy of the summary upon request

In regulation: The foster home shall provide for the moral training of children in care. Children shall be permitted to participate in religious activities and to attend a church of their faith or that of their parents when possible. Children may not be given religious training, be baptized, or formally inducted into a faith different than their own or their parent's religious beliefs without the written consent of the parents or agency responsible for the child's care.

Addressing Grievances
Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 432.525; 432.550

A child placed in a foster home by a child welfare agency has the right to report any alleged violation of their rights without being threatened or punished.

If a child believes that their rights have been violated, the child may raise and redress a grievance with, without limitation, any of the following:

  • A provider of foster care
  • An employee of a foster home
  • A child welfare agency and any employee thereof
  • A juvenile court with jurisdiction over the child
  • A guardian ad litem for the child
  • An attorney for the child
  • The Division of Child and Family Services, using the process established pursuant to § 432.548