Juveniles: relative placement: family finding.

Existing law requires a county social worker to investigate the circumstances of each child taken into temporary custody by a peace officer who has reasonable cause to believe the child is the victim of abuse or neglect. Existing law similarly requires a probation officer to investigate the circumstances of a minor who has been taken into temporary custody due to the commission of a crime or truancy. Existing law requires the social worker, and the probation officer if the probation officer has reason to believe that the minor is at risk of entering a foster care placement, to conduct an investigation to identify and locate adult relatives of the child, as specified, and to provide them with a notification that the child has been removed from the custody of the child's parents, guardians, or Indian custodian, and an explanation of the various options to participate in the care and placement of the child. Existing law further requires the social worker and probation officer to use due diligence in investigating the names and locations of the relatives, including, but not limited to, asking the child in an age-appropriate manner about relatives important to the child and obtaining information regarding the location of the child's adult relatives. This bill would require county welfare departments and probation departments to notify the State Department of Social Services, on or before January 1, 2024, as to whether it has adopted certain suggested practices for family finding and whether the practice has been implemented. If a county welfare department or probation department has not adopted one of the suggested practices for family finding, the bill would require the county department to provide a copy to the State Department of Social Services of its existing family finding policies and practices in existence prior to January 1, 2022. The bill would specify that the required due diligence of the social worker or probation officer shall include family finding, which the bill defines as conducting an investigation to identify relatives and kin and to connect a child or youth, who may be disconnected from their parents, with those relatives and kin in an effort to provide family support and possible placement. By imposing new duties on county officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.