63.2-906 - Foster care plans; permissible plan goals; court review of foster children.
§ 63.2-906. Foster care plans; permissible plan goals; court review of fosterchildren.
A. Each child who is committed or entrusted to the care of a local board orto a licensed child-placing agency or who is placed through an agreementbetween a local board and the parent, parents or guardians, where legalcustody remains with the parent, parents or guardians, shall have a fostercare plan prepared by the local department, the child welfare agency, or thefamily assessment and planning team established pursuant to § 2.2-5207, asspecified in § 16.1-281. The representatives of such department, childwelfare agency, or team shall involve the child's parent(s) in thedevelopment of the plan, except when parental rights have been terminated orthe local department of social services or child welfare agency has madediligent efforts to locate the parent(s) and such parent(s) cannot belocated, and any other person or persons standing in loco parentis at thetime the board or child welfare agency obtained custody or the board or thechild welfare agency placed the child. The representatives of suchdepartment, child welfare agency, or team shall involve the child in thedevelopment of the plan, if such involvement is consistent with the bestinterests of the child. In cases where either the parent(s) or child is notinvolved in the development of the plan, the department, child welfareagency, or team shall include in the plan a full description of the reasonstherefor.
A court may place a child in the care and custody of (i) a public agency inaccordance with § 16.1-251 or 16.1-252, and (ii) a public or licensed privatechild-placing agency in accordance with § 16.1-278.2, 16.1-278.4, 16.1-278.5,16.1-278.6, or 16.1-278.8. Children may be placed by voluntary relinquishmentin the care and custody of a public or private agency in accordance with §16.1-277.01 or §§ 16.1-277.02 and 16.1-278.3. Children may be placed throughan agreement where legal custody remains with the parent, parents orguardians in accordance with §§ 63.2-900 and 63.2-903, or § 2.2-5208.
B. Each child in foster care shall be assigned a permanent plan goal to bereviewed and approved by the juvenile and domestic relations district courthaving jurisdiction of the child's case. Permissible plan goals are to:
1. Transfer custody of the child to his prior family;
2. Transfer custody of the child to a relative other than his prior family;
3. Finalize an adoption of the child;
4. Place the child in permanent foster care;
5. Transition to independent living; or
6. Place the child in another planned permanent living arrangement inaccordance with subsection A 2 of § 16.1-282.1.
C. Each child in foster care shall be subject to the permanency planning andreview procedures established in §§ 16.1-281, 16.1-282, and 16.1-282.1.
(2002, c. 747; 2005, c. 653; 2008, cc. 475, 483; 2009, c. 124.)