A roundup of interesting child protection and well-being news items this week:
Developing countries all over are realizing the need for robust child protection systems that keep families intact when possible. Here’s a recent example from Cambodia.
During the pandemic, federal and state authorities took steps to protect youth from aging out of extended foster care and allowed those youth to remain in extended foster care past age 21. That moratorium ends today, and stories such as this one abound in the media.
ICWA, the Indian Child Welfare Act, is potentially before the Supreme Court after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals en banc issued a mixed ruling as to its validity in Brackeen v. Haaland, 994 F3d 249 (2021). All sides in the case have asked the Supreme Court to review.
West Virginia lawmakers are reviewing their state’s foster placement practices after some scathing investigations regarding children placed out of state and subsequently abused.
Rhode Island joins the list of states that have passed legislation seeking to protect the parental rights of disabled parents. Advocates have pointed out that parents with disabilities are often, through no fault of their own, permanently deprived of their parental rights due to a cognitive, emotional, or physical disability. This issue is likely to remain on the forefront over the next few years. Federal guidance is available here.
Y’all have a good week, and let me know if you see any items of interest I should add!