RCW 13.34.260
Foster home placement—Parental preferences—Foster parent contact with birth parents encouraged.
(1) In an attempt to minimize the inherent intrusion in the lives of families involved in the foster care system and to maintain parental authority where appropriate, the department, absent good cause, shall follow the wishes of the natural parent regarding the placement of the child with a relative or other suitable person pursuant to RCW 13.34.130. Preferences such as family constellation, sibling relationships, ethnicity, and religion shall be considered when matching children to foster homes. Parental authority is appropriate in areas that are not connected with the abuse or neglect that resulted in the dependency and shall be integrated through the foster care team.
(2) When a child is placed in out-of-home care, relatives, other suitable persons, and foster parents are encouraged to:
(a) Provide consultation to the foster care team based upon their experience with the child placed in their care;
(b) Assist the birth parents by helping them understand their child's needs and correlating appropriate parenting responses;
(c) Participate in educational activities, and enter into community-building activities with birth families and other foster families;
(d) Transport children to family time visits with birth families and assist children and their families in maximizing the purposefulness of family time.
(3) For purposes of this section:
(a) "Foster care team" means the relative, other suitable person, or foster parent currently providing care, the currently assigned department employee, and the parent or parents; and
(b) "Birth family" means the persons described in RCW 74.15.020(2)(a).
[ 2011 c 89 § 5; 2009 c 491 § 5; 2003 c 226 § 2; 2002 c 52 § 7; 2000 c 122 § 32; 1990 c 284 § 25.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2011 c 89: See note following RCW 18.320.005.
Findings—2011 c 89: See RCW 18.320.005.
Findings—Intent—2003 c 226: "The legislature finds that a large group of children spend a significant part of their lives in foster care. Each individual connected to a child in an out-of-home placement must have an abiding appreciation of the seriousness of the child's separation from his or her family and the past, whether that separation is short, long, or permanent in nature. It is the intent of the legislature to recognize and honor the history and the family connections that each child brings to an out-of-home placement.
The legislature finds that creating and sanctioning a connection between a child's birth parents and foster family, when appropriate, can result in better relationships among birth families, children, foster families, and social workers. Creating and sanctioning this connection can result in greater foster placement stability and fewer disruptions for children, as well as greater satisfaction for foster parents and social workers." [ 2003 c 226 § 1.]
Intent—2002 c 52: See note following RCW 13.34.025.
Finding—Effective date—1990 c 284: See notes following RCW 74.13.250.
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Title 13 - Juvenile Courts and Juvenile Offenders
Chapter 13.34 - Juvenile Court Act—Dependency and Termination of Parent-Child Relationship.
13.34.020 - Legislative declaration of family unit as resource to be nurtured—Rights of child.
13.34.025 - Child dependency cases—Coordination of services—Remedial services.
13.34.045 - Educational liaison—Identification.
13.34.046 - Educational liaison—Responsibilities—Background checks.
13.34.050 - Court order to take child into custody, when—Hearing.
13.34.055 - Custody by law enforcement officer—Release from liability.
13.34.060 - Shelter care—Placement—Custody—Duties of parties.
13.34.062 - Shelter care—Notice of custody and rights.
13.34.065 - Shelter care—Hearing—Recommendation as to further need—Release.
13.34.067 - Shelter care—Case conference—Service agreement.
13.34.069 - Shelter care—Order and authorization of health care and education records.
13.34.080 - Summons when petition filed—Publication of notice.
13.34.090 - Rights under chapter proceedings.
13.34.092 - Rights under chapter proceedings—Appointment of counsel—Notice.
13.34.094 - Description of services provided to parents.
13.34.096 - Right to be heard—Notice.
13.34.102 - Guardian ad litem—Training—Registry—Selection—Substitution—Exception.
13.34.105 - Guardian ad litem—Duties—Immunity—Access to information.
13.34.107 - Guardian ad litem—Ex parte communications—Removal.
13.34.108 - Guardian ad litem—Fees.
13.34.110 - Hearings—Fact-finding and disposition—Time and place, notice.
13.34.125 - Voluntary adoption plan—Consideration of preferences for proposed placement.
13.34.132 - Petition seeking termination of parent-child relationship—Requirements.
13.34.134 - Permanent placement of child.
13.34.136 - Permanency plan of care.
13.34.142 - Current placement episode—Calculation.
13.34.147 - Case review panel—Creation—Duties.
13.34.150 - Modification of orders.
13.34.160 - Order of support for dependent child.
13.34.161 - Order of support for dependent child—Noncompliance—Enforcement of judgment.
13.34.165 - Civil contempt—Grounds—Motion—Penalty—Detention review hearing.
13.34.180 - Order terminating parent and child relationship—Petition—Filing—Allegations.
13.34.190 - Order terminating parent and child relationship—Findings.
13.34.200 - Order terminating parent and child relationship—Rights of parties when granted.
13.34.212 - Court-appointed attorney for a child in a dependency proceeding.
13.34.234 - Guardianship for dependent child—Dependency guardianship subsidies.
13.34.235 - Guardianship for dependent child—Review hearing requirements not applicable—Exception.
13.34.240 - Acts, records, and proceedings of Indian tribe or band given full faith and credit.
13.34.265 - Foster home placement—Considerations.
13.34.270 - Child with developmental disability—Out-of-home placement—Permanency planning hearing.
13.34.300 - Relevance of failure to cause juvenile to attend school to neglect petition.
13.34.315 - Health care—Evaluation and treatment.
13.34.320 - Inpatient mental health treatment—When parental consent required—Hearing.
13.34.330 - Inpatient mental health treatment—Placement.
13.34.340 - Release of records—Disclosure to treating physician.
13.34.350 - Dependent children—Information sharing—Guidelines.
13.34.370 - Evaluation of parties—Selection of evaluators.
13.34.380 - Visitation policies and protocols—Development—Elements.
13.34.390 - Comprehensive services for drug-affected and alcohol-affected mothers and infants.
13.34.400 - Child welfare proceedings—Placement—Documentation.
13.34.410 - Psychosexual evaluation.
13.34.420 - Qualified residential treatment program—Requirements.
13.34.425 - Qualified residential treatment program—Placement—Hearing.
13.34.430 - Social study—Required information.
13.34.435 - Washington state center for court research—Attorney-client privilege.
13.34.800 - Drug-affected and alcohol-affected infants—Model project.
13.34.801 - Rules—Definition of "drug-affected infant."
13.34.802 - Rules—Definition of "alcohol-affected infant."
13.34.820 - Permanency for dependent children—Annual report.
13.34.830 - Child protection and child welfare—Racial disproportionality—Evaluation—Report.
13.34.900 - Construction—Chapter applicable to state registered domestic partnerships—2009 c 521.