SB396:

Foster care placements; court review, best interests of the child.

Bill Summary:

Foster care placements; court review. Provides that the juvenile and domestic relations district court has the authority to review a child's status in foster care or review a foster care plan. The bill requires a foster care plan to describe in writing an assessment of the stability of proposed placements, the services provided or plans for services to be provided to address placement instability, and a description of other placements that were considered for the child.

The bill also (i) requests that the Committee on District Courts study child dependency hearings in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court system and make recommendations to the General Assembly as to whether a separate docket or court would result in better service to children and families involved in child dependency hearings and other family law matters and (ii) directs the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to convene a work group to consider issues relating to the Commonwealth's model of court-appointed legal counsel in child dependency cases.