- Introduced -

SB 923 - This act provides foster parent rights and responsibilities. A new Section 210.566 is created to outline the following rights:

- The state must treat foster parents, children, birth parents, and the child welfare team with courtesy, respect, and consideration;

- The state must provide foster parents with training and support, information, visits, and accessible respite care;

- Foster parents must keep information confidential, participate in pre-placement visits, and follow appropriate respite care procedures;

- Foster parents must be allowed to make daily decisions for the child and plan visitation with the biological family;

- Foster parents must respect a child's culture, values, and needs and must administer discipline in a sensitive manner;

- The state must provide to foster parents information about a child's progress after leaving foster care, notice before a child is removed from a foster home, and first consideration for adoption;

- Foster parents must inform a caseworker of their interest in a child who has re-entered the system and of their desire to adopt; if they do not choose to adopt, they should encourage permanent placement; reasonable advance notice should be given if parents want to request removal;

- Foster parents must be informed in a timely manner of all court hearings and must have timely access to the child placement agency's appeals process.

ERIN MOTLEY