Religious Rights of Youth in Out-of-Home Care - West Virginia
Youths' Religious Rights
Citation: WV Code § 49-2-126
Children in foster care and kinship placements have the right to participate in religious services and religious activities of their choice to the extent possible.
Agency Responsibilities
Citation: WV Code § 49-2-101; BSS Home Finding Policy, § 12.1
If practical, when placing any child in the care of a family or a child welfare agency, the Bureau for Social Services shall select a family holding the same religious belief as the parents or relatives of the child, or a child welfare agency conducted under religious auspices of the same belief as the parents or relatives.
In policy: Kinship/relative and resource caregivers shall recognize, encourage, and support the religious beliefs, heritage, and language of the child and their family. Kinship/relative and resource caregivers shall, if possible, arrange transportation to religious services or ethnic events for a child whose beliefs and practices are different from their own.
Kinship/relative and resource caregivers shall not force or coerce children into attending religious services or ethnic events that are against their will or beliefs. If the child has a different religious affiliation than the kinship/relative or resource caregiver, arrangements are expected to be made to ensure the child continues to attend the services in the denomination of their choice if the child wishes to do so.
Kinship/relative and resource parents must be willing to become culturally competent and able to understand the importance of race, ethnicity, religion, and/or cultural issues in family and community life and in planning for children in their care.
Addressing Grievances
Citation: WV Code § 49-2-126
Children in foster care and kinship placements have the right to contact the department or the foster care ombudsman regarding rights violations, to speak to representatives of these offices confidentially, and to be free from threats, retaliation, or punishment for making complaints.