Dependent children.

Existing law requires the juvenile court to hold periodic hearings to review the status of a dependent child who is in foster care no less frequently than once every 6 months, including a review hearing held 6 months after the initial dispositional hearing in which the court must order the return of the child to the physical custody of his or her parent or legal guardian unless the court makes a specified finding. Existing law requires that the permanency hearing be held no later than 12 months after the date the child entered foster care. Existing law provides, with respect to various provisions of law governing dependency proceedings, that a child shall be deemed to have entered foster care on the earlier of the date of the jurisdictional hearing, as specified, or the date that is 60 days after the date on which the child was initially removed from the physical custody of his or her parent or guardian. Existing law also requires that family reunification services be provided whenever a child is removed from the custody of his or her parent or guardian, except as specified. This bill would make technical, clarifying, and conforming changes to those provisions. The bill would also make the provision establishing the date a child shall be deemed to have entered foster care, as described above, generally applicable for purposes of provisions governing dependent children. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.