An Act to keep siblings together in foster care

HD 386 requires child welfare agencies to prioritize keeping siblings together in foster care. It mandates that when a child enters foster care, the agency must immediately search for relatives (including parents of siblings) to consider for placement and must place siblings together unless the agency provides clear evidence to a court that separation is necessary for safety or due to impracticality (e.g., more than four siblings). If siblings are separated, the agency must arrange frequent visitation unless the court rules it would harm a child, with the court required to document its decision. The bill also requires agencies to develop a plan to increase sibling placements and report annually on their progress to a legislative committee.