State Laws Related to Permanency

State laws build on Federal laws and provide further guidance for the work of State and local child welfare agencies in achieving permanency for children in out-of-home care. The following resources highlight States' efforts to address the issue of permanency planning in child welfare.

Case Planning for Families Involved With Child Welfare Agencies

Series Title	State Statutes
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 812KB)
Year Published	2014

Presents a review of statutes and administrative codes that shows that States are using a variety of approaches to address the issue of case planning in child welfare. States generally require a case plan when a child is placed in out-of-home care or when a child and his or her family are receiving any kind of in-home services to prevent placement. Topics covered include requirements for when a case plan is needed, participants in case planning, and contents of plans. Laws for all States and territories are included.

Court Hearings for the Permanent Placement of Children

Series Title	State Statutes
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 1,155KB)
Year Published	2016

Summarizes State laws that mandate the type and frequency of court hearings that must be held to review the status of children placed in out-of-home care. At these hearings, the court reviews the efforts that have been made to address the family issues that necessitated the out-of-home placement as well as efforts to achieve permanency for the child. This document also describes lists the persons who may attend the hearings and permanency options.

Determining the Best Interests of the Child

Series Title	State Statutes
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 816KB)
Year Published	2016

Discusses State laws that present the factors that courts need to consider when making decisions about a child's appropriate custody and care. Factors to be considered include parental capacity to provide adequate care, sibling and other family relationships, and the child's wishes. The factsheet also addresses the definition of best interests and guiding principles of best interest determinations. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Summary of the Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver Demonstrations (PDF - 301 KB)
James Bell Associates (2012)
Provides information on the types of service strategies that have been funded through the Child Welfare Waiver Demonstrations, the implementation status of the demonstration projects, their evaluation designs, and key outcomes.

What's New in Child Welfare?
National Conference of State Legislatures
Provides summaries of enacted child welfare legislation in States, as well as other State-level child welfare information related to issues such as foster care, adoption, child abuse and neglect, kinship care, the child welfare system, prevention, minority children, and Federal issues.