Full Text of HB5592 97th General Assembly
HB5592 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012 HB5592 Introduced 2/15/2012, by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: |
| 20 ILCS 505/7 | from Ch. 23, par. 5007 | 20 ILCS 505/7.4 | | 705 ILCS 405/1-3 | from Ch. 37, par. 801-3 | 705 ILCS 405/2-10 | from Ch. 37, par. 802-10 | 705 ILCS 405/2-23 | from Ch. 37, par. 802-23 | 705 ILCS 405/2-28 | from Ch. 37, par. 802-28 | 750 ILCS 50/18.3 | from Ch. 40, par. 1522.3 |
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Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that in placing a child under the Act, the Department of Children and family Services shall place the child with the child's
sibling or siblings unless the placement is not in each child's best
interest, or is otherwise not possible under the Department's rules. Provides that if the child is not
placed with a sibling under the Department's rules, the Department shall consider
placements that are likely to develop, preserve, nurture, and support sibling relationships, where
doing so is in each child's best interest. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that where the Department of Children and Family Services Guardianship Administrator is
appointed as the executive temporary custodian, and when the child has siblings in care,
the Department of Children and Family Services shall file with the court and serve on the
parties a sibling placement and contact plan within 10 days, excluding weekends and
holidays, after the appointment. Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that former wards of the Department of Children and Family Services between the ages of 18 and 21 who have been surrendered or adopted shall not be required to complete an Illinois Adoption Registry Application prior to commencement of the search of birth parent information. Effective immediately.
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| | A BILL FOR |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning siblings.
| 2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| 3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
| 4 | | Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended | 5 | | by changing Sections 7 and 7.4 as follows:
| 6 | | (20 ILCS 505/7) (from Ch. 23, par. 5007)
| 7 | | Sec. 7. Placement of children; considerations.
| 8 | | (a) In placing any child under this Act, the Department | 9 | | shall place the
such child, as far as possible, in the care and | 10 | | custody of some individual
holding the same religious belief as | 11 | | the parents of the child, or with some
child care facility | 12 | | which is operated by persons of like religious faith as
the | 13 | | parents of such child.
| 14 | | (a-5) In placing a child under this Act, the Department | 15 | | shall place the child with the child's
sibling or siblings | 16 | | under Section 7.4 of this Act unless the placement is not in | 17 | | each child's best
interest, or is otherwise not possible under | 18 | | the Department's rules. If the child is not
placed with a | 19 | | sibling under the Department's rules, the Department shall | 20 | | consider
placements that are likely to develop, preserve, | 21 | | nurture, and support sibling relationships, where
doing so is | 22 | | in each child's best interest. | 23 | | (b) In placing a child under this Act, the Department may |
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| 1 | | place a child
with a relative if the Department determines that | 2 | | the relative
will be able to adequately provide for the child's | 3 | | safety and welfare based on the factors set forth in the | 4 | | Department's rules governing relative placements, and that the | 5 | | placement is consistent with the child's best interests, taking | 6 | | into consideration the factors set out in subsection (4.05) of | 7 | | Section 1-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. | 8 | | When the Department first assumes custody of a child, in | 9 | | placing that child under this Act, the Department shall make | 10 | | reasonable efforts to identify and locate a relative who is | 11 | | ready, willing, and able to care for the child. At a minimum, | 12 | | these efforts shall be renewed each time the child requires a | 13 | | placement change and it is appropriate for the child to be | 14 | | cared for in a home environment. The Department must document | 15 | | its efforts to identify and locate such a relative placement | 16 | | and maintain the documentation in the child's case file. | 17 | | If the Department determines that a placement with any | 18 | | identified relative is not in the child's best interests or | 19 | | that the relative does not meet the requirements to be a | 20 | | relative caregiver, as set forth in Department rules or by | 21 | | statute, the Department must document the basis for that | 22 | | decision and maintain the documentation in the child's case | 23 | | file.
| 24 | | If, pursuant to the Department's rules, any person files an | 25 | | administrative appeal of the Department's decision not to place | 26 | | a child with a relative, it is the Department's burden to prove |
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| 1 | | that the decision is consistent with the child's best | 2 | | interests. | 3 | | When the Department determines that the child requires | 4 | | placement in an environment, other than a home environment, the | 5 | | Department shall continue to make reasonable efforts to | 6 | | identify and locate relatives to serve as visitation resources | 7 | | for the child and potential future placement resources, except | 8 | | when the Department determines that those efforts would be | 9 | | futile or inconsistent with the child's best interests. | 10 | | If the Department determines that efforts to identify and | 11 | | locate relatives would be futile or inconsistent with the | 12 | | child's best interests, the Department shall document the basis | 13 | | of its determination and maintain the documentation in the | 14 | | child's case file. | 15 | | If the Department determines that an individual or a group | 16 | | of relatives are inappropriate to serve as visitation resources | 17 | | or possible placement resources, the Department shall document | 18 | | the basis of its determination and maintain the documentation | 19 | | in the child's case file. | 20 | | When the Department determines that an individual or a | 21 | | group of relatives are appropriate to serve as visitation | 22 | | resources or possible future placement resources, the | 23 | | Department shall document the basis of its determination, | 24 | | maintain the documentation in the child's case file, create a | 25 | | visitation or transition plan, or both, and incorporate the | 26 | | visitation or transition plan, or both, into the child's case |
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| 1 | | plan. For the purpose of this subsection, any determination as | 2 | | to the child's best interests shall include consideration of | 3 | | the factors set out in subsection (4.05) of Section 1-3 of the | 4 | | Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
| 5 | | The Department may not place a child with a relative, with | 6 | | the exception of
certain circumstances which may be waived as | 7 | | defined by the Department in
rules, if the results of a check | 8 | | of the Law Enforcement Agencies
Data System (LEADS) identifies | 9 | | a prior criminal conviction of the relative or
any adult member | 10 | | of the relative's household for any of the following offenses
| 11 | | under the Criminal Code of 1961:
| 12 | | (1) murder;
| 13 | | (1.1) solicitation of murder;
| 14 | | (1.2) solicitation of murder for hire;
| 15 | | (1.3) intentional homicide of an unborn child;
| 16 | | (1.4) voluntary manslaughter of an unborn child;
| 17 | | (1.5) involuntary manslaughter;
| 18 | | (1.6) reckless homicide;
| 19 | | (1.7) concealment of a homicidal death;
| 20 | | (1.8) involuntary manslaughter of an unborn child;
| 21 | | (1.9) reckless homicide of an unborn child;
| 22 | | (1.10) drug-induced homicide;
| 23 | | (2) a sex offense under Article 11, except offenses | 24 | | described in Sections
11-7, 11-8, 11-12, 11-13, 11-35, | 25 | | 11-40, and 11-45;
| 26 | | (3) kidnapping;
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| 1 | | (3.1) aggravated unlawful restraint;
| 2 | | (3.2) forcible detention;
| 3 | | (3.3) aiding and abetting child abduction;
| 4 | | (4) aggravated kidnapping;
| 5 | | (5) child abduction;
| 6 | | (6) aggravated battery of a child as described in | 7 | | Section 12-4.3 or subdivision (b)(1) of Section 12-3.05;
| 8 | | (7) criminal sexual assault;
| 9 | | (8) aggravated criminal sexual assault;
| 10 | | (8.1) predatory criminal sexual assault of a child;
| 11 | | (9) criminal sexual abuse;
| 12 | | (10) aggravated sexual abuse;
| 13 | | (11) heinous battery as described in Section 12-4.1 or | 14 | | subdivision (a)(2) of Section 12-3.05;
| 15 | | (12) aggravated battery with a firearm as described in | 16 | | Section 12-4.2 or subdivision (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), or | 17 | | (e)(4) of Section 12-3.05;
| 18 | | (13) tampering with food, drugs, or cosmetics;
| 19 | | (14) drug-induced infliction of great bodily harm as | 20 | | described in Section 12-4.7 or subdivision (g)(1) of | 21 | | Section 12-3.05;
| 22 | | (15) aggravated stalking;
| 23 | | (16) home invasion;
| 24 | | (17) vehicular invasion;
| 25 | | (18) criminal transmission of HIV;
| 26 | | (19) criminal abuse or neglect of an elderly or |
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| 1 | | disabled person as described in Section 12-21 or subsection | 2 | | (b) of Section 12-4.4a;
| 3 | | (20) child abandonment;
| 4 | | (21) endangering the life or health of a child;
| 5 | | (22) ritual mutilation;
| 6 | | (23) ritualized abuse of a child;
| 7 | | (24) an offense in any other state the elements of | 8 | | which are similar and
bear a substantial relationship to | 9 | | any of the foregoing offenses.
| 10 | | For the purpose of this subsection, "relative" shall include
| 11 | | any person, 21 years of age or over, other than the parent, who | 12 | | (i) is
currently related to the child in any of the following | 13 | | ways by blood or
adoption: grandparent, sibling, | 14 | | great-grandparent, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece,
first cousin, | 15 | | second cousin, godparent, great-uncle, or great-aunt; or (ii) | 16 | | is
the spouse of such a
relative; or (iii) is the child's | 17 | | step-father, step-mother, or adult
step-brother or | 18 | | step-sister; "relative" also includes a person related in any
| 19 | | of the foregoing ways to a sibling of a child, even though the | 20 | | person is not
related to the child, when the
child and its | 21 | | sibling are placed together with that person. For children who | 22 | | have been in the guardianship of the Department, have been | 23 | | adopted, and are subsequently returned to the temporary custody | 24 | | or guardianship of the Department, a "relative" may also | 25 | | include any person who would have qualified as a relative under | 26 | | this paragraph prior to the adoption, but only if the |
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| 1 | | Department determines, and documents, that it would be in the | 2 | | child's best interests to consider this person a relative, | 3 | | based upon the factors for determining best interests set forth | 4 | | in subsection (4.05) of Section 1-3 of the Juvenile Court Act | 5 | | of 1987. A relative with
whom a child is placed pursuant to | 6 | | this subsection may, but is not required to,
apply for | 7 | | licensure as a foster family home pursuant to the Child Care | 8 | | Act of
1969; provided, however, that as of July 1, 1995, foster | 9 | | care payments shall be
made only to licensed foster family | 10 | | homes pursuant to the terms of Section 5 of
this Act.
| 11 | | (c) In placing a child under this Act, the Department shall | 12 | | ensure that
the child's health, safety, and best interests are | 13 | | met.
In rejecting placement of a child with an identified | 14 | | relative, the Department shall ensure that the child's health, | 15 | | safety, and best interests are met. In evaluating the best | 16 | | interests of the child, the Department shall take into | 17 | | consideration the factors set forth in subsection (4.05) of | 18 | | Section 1-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
| 19 | | The Department shall consider the individual needs of the
| 20 | | child and the capacity of the prospective foster or adoptive
| 21 | | parents to meet the needs of the child. When a child must be | 22 | | placed
outside his or her home and cannot be immediately | 23 | | returned to his or her
parents or guardian, a comprehensive, | 24 | | individualized assessment shall be
performed of that child at | 25 | | which time the needs of the child shall be
determined. Only if | 26 | | race, color, or national origin is identified as a
legitimate |
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| 1 | | factor in advancing the child's best interests shall it be
| 2 | | considered. Race, color, or national origin shall not be | 3 | | routinely
considered in making a placement decision. The | 4 | | Department shall make
special
efforts for the diligent | 5 | | recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families
that | 6 | | reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of the children for | 7 | | whom foster
and adoptive homes are needed. "Special efforts" | 8 | | shall include contacting and
working with community | 9 | | organizations and religious organizations and may
include | 10 | | contracting with those organizations, utilizing local media | 11 | | and other
local resources, and conducting outreach activities.
| 12 | | (c-1) At the time of placement, the Department shall | 13 | | consider concurrent
planning, as described in subsection (l-1) | 14 | | of Section 5, so that permanency may
occur at the earliest | 15 | | opportunity. Consideration should be given so that if
| 16 | | reunification fails or is delayed, the placement made is the | 17 | | best available
placement to provide permanency for the child.
| 18 | | (d) The Department may accept gifts, grants, offers of | 19 | | services, and
other contributions to use in making special | 20 | | recruitment efforts.
| 21 | | (e) The Department in placing children in adoptive or | 22 | | foster care homes
may not, in any policy or practice relating | 23 | | to the placement of children for
adoption or foster care, | 24 | | discriminate against any child or prospective adoptive
or | 25 | | foster parent on the basis of race.
| 26 | | (Source: P.A. 96-1551, Article 1, Section 900, eff. 7-1-11; |
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| 1 | | 96-1551, Article 2, Section 920, eff. 7-1-11; revised 9-30-11.)
| 2 | | (20 ILCS 505/7.4)
| 3 | | Sec. 7.4. Development and preservation of sibling | 4 | | relationships for children in care; placement of siblings; | 5 | | contact among siblings placed apart. Placement of siblings.
| 6 | | (a) Purpose and policy. The General Assembly recognizes | 7 | | that sibling relationships are unique and essential for a | 8 | | person, but even more so for children who are removed from the | 9 | | care of their families and placed in the State child welfare | 10 | | system. When family separation occurs through State | 11 | | intervention, every effort must be made to preserve, support | 12 | | and nurture sibling relationships when doing so is in the best | 13 | | interest of each sibling. It is in the interests of foster | 14 | | children who are part of a sibling group to enjoy contact with | 15 | | one another, as long as the contact is in each child's best | 16 | | interest. This is true both while the siblings are in State | 17 | | care and after one or all of the siblings leave State care | 18 | | through adoption, guardianship, or aging out. When a child is | 19 | | in need of an adoptive placement, the Department shall
examine | 20 | | its
files and other available resources and attempt to | 21 | | determine whether any
biological sibling of the child has been | 22 | | adopted. If the Department determines
that a biological sibling | 23 | | of the child has been adopted, the Department shall
make a good | 24 | | faith effort to locate the adoptive parents of the sibling and
| 25 | | inform them of the availability of the child for adoption.
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| 1 | | (b) Definitions. For purposes of this Section: | 2 | | (1) Whenever a best interest determination is required | 3 | | by this Section, the
Department shall consider the factors | 4 | | set out in subsection 4.05 of Section 1-3
or the Juvenile | 5 | | Court Act of 1987 and the Department's rules regarding
| 6 | | Sibling Placement, 89 111. Admin. Code 301.70 and Sibling | 7 | | Visitation, 89 111.
Admin. Code 301.220, and the | 8 | | Department's rules regarding Placement
Selection Criteria. | 9 | | 89 111. Admin. Code 301.60. | 10 | | (2) "Adopted child" means a child who, immediately | 11 | | preceding the adoption, was
in the custody or guardianship | 12 | | of the Illinois Department of Children and
Family Services | 13 | | under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. | 14 | | (3) "Adoptive parent" means a person who has become a | 15 | | parent through the legal
process of adoption. | 16 | | (4) "Child" means a person in the temporary custody or | 17 | | guardianship of the
Department who is under the age of 21. | 18 | | (5) "Child placed in private guardianship" means a | 19 | | child who, immediately
preceding the guardianship. was in | 20 | | the custody or guardianship of the Illinois
Department of | 21 | | Children and Family Services under Article II of the | 22 | | Juvenile
Court Act. | 23 | | (6) "Contact" may include, but is not limited to | 24 | | visits, telephone calls, letters,
sharing of photographs | 25 | | or information. e-mails, video conferencing, and other | 26 | | form of communication or contact. |
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| 1 | | (7) "Legal Guardian" means a person who has become the | 2 | | legal guardian of a
child who, immediately prior to the | 3 | | guardianship, was in the custody or
guardianship of the | 4 | | Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
under | 5 | | Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. | 6 | | (8) "Parent" means the child's mother or father who is | 7 | | named as the respondent in
proceedings conducted under | 8 | | Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. | 9 | | (9) "Post Permanency Sibling Contact" means contact | 10 | | between siblings following
the entry of a Judgment Order | 11 | | for Adoption under Section 14 of the
Adoption Act regarding | 12 | | at least one sibling or an Order for Guardianship
| 13 | | appointing a private guardian under Section 2-27 or the | 14 | | Juvenile Court Act of 1987,
regarding at least one sibling. | 15 | | Post Permanency Sibling Contact may include,
but is not | 16 | | limited to, visits, telephone calls, letters, sharing of | 17 | | photographs or
information, emails, video conferencing, | 18 | | and other form of
communication or connection agreed to by | 19 | | the parties to a Post Permanency
Sibling Contact Agreement. | 20 | | (10) "Post Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement" means | 21 | | a written agreement
between the adoptive parent or parents, | 22 | | the child, and the child's sibling
regarding post | 23 | | permanency contact between the adopted child and the | 24 | | child's
sibling, or a written agreement between the legal | 25 | | guardians, the child, and the
child's sibling regarding | 26 | | post permanency contact between the child placed in
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| 1 | | guardianship and the child's sibling. The Post Permanency | 2 | | Sibling Contact
Agreement may specify the nature and | 3 | | frequency of contact between the
adopted child or child | 4 | | placed in guardianship and the child's sibling
following | 5 | | the entry of the Judgment Order for Adoption or Order for | 6 | | Private
Guardianship. The Post Permanency Sibling Contact | 7 | | Agreement may be
supported by services as specified in this | 8 | | Section. The Post Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement is | 9 | | voluntary
on the part of the parties to the Post Permanency | 10 | | Sibling Contact Agreement
and is not a requirement for | 11 | | finalization of the child's adoption or
guardianship. When | 12 | | entered into, the Post Permanency Sibling Contact
| 13 | | Agreement shall be placed in the child's Post Adoption or | 14 | | Guardianship case
record and in the case file of a sibling | 15 | | who is a party to the agreement and who
remains in the | 16 | | Department's custody or guardianship. | 17 | | (11) "Sibling Contact Support Plan" means a written | 18 | | document that sets forth
the plan for future contact | 19 | | between siblings who are in the Department's care
and | 20 | | custody and residing separately. The goal of the Support | 21 | | Plan is to
develop or preserve and nurture the siblings' | 22 | | relationships. The Support Plan
shall set forth the role of | 23 | | the foster parents, caregivers, and others in
implementing | 24 | | the Support Plan. The Support Plan must meet the minimum
| 25 | | standards regarding frequency of in-person visits provided | 26 | | for in Department
rule. |
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| 1 | | (12) "Siblings" means children who share at least one | 2 | | parent in common. This definition of siblings
applies | 3 | | solely for purposes of placement and contact under this | 4 | | Section. For
purposes of this Section, children who share | 5 | | at least one parent in common
continue to be siblings after | 6 | | their parent's parental rights are terminated, if parental | 7 | | rights were terminated while a petition under Article II of | 8 | | the
Juvenile Court Act of 1987 was pending. For purposes of | 9 | | this Section, children who
share at least one parent in | 10 | | common continue to be siblings after a sibling is
adopted | 11 | | or placed in private guardianship when the adopted child or | 12 | | child
placed in private guardianship was in the | 13 | | Department's custody or
guardianship under Article II of | 14 | | the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 immediately
prior to the | 15 | | adoption or private guardianship. For children who have | 16 | | been in the guardianship of the Department under
Article II | 17 | | of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, have been adopted, and | 18 | | are subsequently
returned to the temporary custody or | 19 | | guardianship of the Department under Article II of the | 20 | | Juvenile Court Act of 1987, "siblings" includes a person | 21 | | who
would have been considered a sibling prior to the | 22 | | adoption and siblings
through adoption. | 23 | | (c) No later than January 1, 2013, the Department shall | 24 | | promulgate rules addressing the
development and preservation | 25 | | of sibling relationships. The rules shall address, at a
| 26 | | minimum: |
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| 1 | | (1) Recruitment, licensing, and support of foster | 2 | | parents willing and
capable of either fostering sibling | 3 | | groups or supporting and being
actively involved in | 4 | | planning and executing sibling contact for siblings
placed | 5 | | apart. The rules shall address training for foster parents,
| 6 | | licensing workers, placement workers, and others as deemed
| 7 | | necessary. | 8 | | (2) Placement selection for children who are separated | 9 | | from their siblings
and how to best promote placements of | 10 | | children with foster parents or
programs that can meet the | 11 | | childrens' needs, including the need to
develop and | 12 | | maintain contact with siblings. | 13 | | (3) State-supported guidance to siblings who have aged | 14 | | out of state
care regarding positive engagement with | 15 | | siblings. | 16 | | (4) Implementation of Post Permanency Sibling Contact
| 17 | | Agreements for children exiting State care, including | 18 | | services
offered by the Department to encourage and assist | 19 | | parties in
developing agreements, services offered by the | 20 | | Department
post-permanency to support parties in | 21 | | implementing and
maintaining agreements, and including | 22 | | services offered by the
Department post-permanency to | 23 | | assist parties in amending
agreements as necessary to meet | 24 | | the needs of the children. | 25 | | (5) Services offered by the Department for children who | 26 | | exited foster care prior to the availability of |
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| 1 | | Post-Permanency Sibling Contact Agreements, to invite | 2 | | willing parties to participate in a facilitated | 3 | | discussion, including, but not limited to, a mediation or | 4 | | joint team decision-making meeting, to explore sibling | 5 | | contact. | 6 | | If the adoptive parents of a biological sibling of a | 7 | | child available for
adoption apply to adopt that child,
the | 8 | | Department shall consider them as adoptive applicants for | 9 | | the adoption of
the child. The Department's final decision, | 10 | | however, shall be based upon the
welfare and
best interest | 11 | | of the child. In arriving at its decision, the Department | 12 | | shall
consider all relevant factors, including but not | 13 | | limited to:
| 14 | | (d) The Department shall develop a form to be provided to | 15 | | youth entering care and exiting
care explaining their rights | 16 | | and responsibilities related to sibling visitation while in | 17 | | care and post permanency. | 18 | | (e) Whenever a child enters care or requires a new | 19 | | placement, the Department shall consider the development and | 20 | | preservation of sibling relationships. | 21 | | (1) This subsection applies when a child entering care | 22 | | or requiring a change of placement has siblings who are in | 23 | | the custody or guardianship of the Department. When a child | 24 | | enters care or requires a new placement, the Department | 25 | | shall examine its files and other available resources and | 26 | | determine whether a sibling of that child is in the custody |
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| 1 | | or guardianship of the Department. If the Department | 2 | | determines that a sibling is in its custody or | 3 | | guardianship, the Department shall then determine whether | 4 | | it is in the best interests of each of the siblings for the | 5 | | child needing placement to be placed with the sibling. If | 6 | | the Department determines that it is in the best interest | 7 | | of each sibling to be placed together, and the sibling's | 8 | | foster parent is able and willing to care for the child | 9 | | needing placement, the Department shall place the child | 10 | | needing placement with the sibling. A determination that it | 11 | | is not in a child's best interest to be placed with a | 12 | | sibling shall be made in accordance with Department rules, | 13 | | and documented in the file of each sibling. | 14 | | (2) This subsection applies when a child who is | 15 | | entering care has siblings who
have been adopted or placed | 16 | | in private guardianship. When a child enters care,
the | 17 | | Department shall examine its files and other available | 18 | | resources, including
consulting with the child's parents, | 19 | | to determine whether a sibling of the child
was adopted or | 20 | | placed in private guardianship from State care. The
| 21 | | Department shall determine, in consultation with the | 22 | | child's parents, whether
it would be in the child's best | 23 | | interests to explore placement with the adopted
sibling or | 24 | | sibling in guardianship. Unless the parent objects, if the
| 25 | | Department determines it is in the child's best interest to | 26 | | explore the
placement, the Department shall contact the |
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| 1 | | adoptive parent or guardian of the
sibling, determine | 2 | | whether they are willing to be considered as placement | 3 | | resources for the child, and, if so, determine whether it | 4 | | is in the best interests
of child to be placed in the home | 5 | | with the sibling. If the Department
determines that it is | 6 | | in the child's best interests to be placed in the home with
| 7 | | the sibling, and the sibling's adoptive parents or | 8 | | guardians are willing and
capable, the Department shall | 9 | | make the placement. A determination that it is
not in a | 10 | | child's best interest to be placed with a sibling shall be | 11 | | made in
accordance with Department rule, and documented in | 12 | | the child's file. | 13 | | (3) This subsection applies when a child in Department | 14 | | custody or guardianship
requires a change of placement, and | 15 | | the child has siblings who have been
adopted or placed in | 16 | | private guardianship. When a child in care requires a new
| 17 | | placement, the Department may consider placing the child | 18 | | with the adoptive
parent or guardian of a sibling under the | 19 | | same procedures and standards
set forth in paragraph (2) of | 20 | | this subsection. | 21 | | (4) When the Department determines it is not in the | 22 | | best interest of one or more
siblings to be placed together | 23 | | the Department shall ensure that the child
requiring | 24 | | placement is placed in a home or program where the | 25 | | caregiver is
willing and able to be actively involved in | 26 | | supporting the sibling relationship
to the extent doing so |
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| 1 | | is in the child's best interest. | 2 | | (f) When siblings in care are placed in separate | 3 | | placements, the Department shall develop a
Sibling Contact | 4 | | Support Plan. The Department shall convene a meeting to develop | 5 | | the
Support Plan. The meeting shall include, at a minimum, the | 6 | | case managers for the
siblings, the foster parents or other | 7 | | care providers if a child is in a non-foster home
placement and | 8 | | the child, when developmentally and clinically appropriate. | 9 | | The
Department shall make all reasonable efforts to promote the | 10 | | participation of the foster
parents. Parents whose parental | 11 | | rights are intact shall be invited to the meeting. Others,
such | 12 | | as therapists and mentors, shall be invited as appropriate. The | 13 | | Support Plan shall set
forth future contact and visits between | 14 | | the siblings to develop or preserve, and nurture the
siblings' | 15 | | relationships. The Support Plan shall set forth the role of the | 16 | | foster parents and
caregivers and others in implementing the | 17 | | Support Plan. The Support Plan must meet the
minimum standards | 18 | | regarding frequency of in-person visits provided for in | 19 | | Department
rule. The Support Plan will be incorporated in the | 20 | | child's service plan and reviewed at
each administrative case | 21 | | review. The Support Plan should be modified if one of the
| 22 | | children moves to a new placement, or as necessary to meet the | 23 | | needs of the children. The Sibling Contact Support Plan for a | 24 | | child in care may include siblings who are not in the care of | 25 | | the Department, with the consent and participation of that | 26 | | child's parent or guardian. |
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| 1 | | (g) By January 1, 2013, the Department shall develop a | 2 | | registry so that placement
information regarding adopted | 3 | | siblings and siblings in private guardianship is readily
| 4 | | available to Department and private agency caseworkers | 5 | | responsible for placing children
in the Department's care. When | 6 | | a child is adopted or placed in private guardianship from
| 7 | | foster care the Department shall inform the adoptive parents or | 8 | | guardians that they may be contacted in the future regarding | 9 | | placement of or contact with, siblings subsequently requiring | 10 | | placement. | 11 | | (h) When a child is in need of an adoptive placement, the | 12 | | Department shall examine its files and other available | 13 | | resources and attempt to determine whether a sibling of the | 14 | | child has been adopted or placed in private guardianship after | 15 | | being in the Department's custody or guardianship. If the | 16 | | Department determines that a sibling of the child has been | 17 | | adopted or placed in private guardianship, the Department shall | 18 | | make a good faith effort to locate the adoptive parents or | 19 | | guardians of the sibling and inform them of the availability of | 20 | | the child for adoption. The Department may determine not to | 21 | | inform the adoptive parents or guardian of a sibling of a child | 22 | | that the child is available for adoption only for a reason | 23 | | permitted under criteria adopted by the Department by rule, and | 24 | | documented in the child's case file. If a child available for | 25 | | adoption has a sibling who has been adopted or placed in | 26 | | guardianship, and the adoptive parents or guardians of that |
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| 1 | | sibling apply to adopt the child, the Department shall consider | 2 | | them as adoptive applicants for the adoption of the child. The | 3 | | Department's final decision as to whether it will consent to | 4 | | the adoptive parents or guardians of a sibling being the | 5 | | adoptive parents of the child shall be based upon the welfare | 6 | | and best interest of the child. In arriving at its decision, | 7 | | the Department shall consider all relevant factors, including | 8 | | but not limited to: | 9 | | (1) the wishes of the child; | 10 | | (2) the interaction and interrelationship of the child | 11 | | with the applicant to adopt the child; | 12 | | (3) the child's need for stability and continuity of | 13 | | relationship with parent figures; | 14 | | (4) the child's adjustment to his or her present home, | 15 | | school, and community; | 16 | | (5) the mental and physical health of all individuals | 17 | | involved; | 18 | | (6) the family ties between the child and the child's | 19 | | relatives, including siblings; | 20 | | (7) the background, age, and living arrangements of the | 21 | | applicant to adopt the child; | 22 | | (8) a criminal background report of the applicant to | 23 | | adopt the child. | 24 | | If placement of the child available for adoption with the | 25 | | adopted sibling or sibling in private guardianship is not | 26 | | feasible, but it is in the child's best interest to develop a |
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| 1 | | relationship with his or her sibling, the Department shall | 2 | | invite the adoptive parents, guardian, or guardians for a | 3 | | mediation or joint team decision-making meeting to facilitate a | 4 | | discussion regarding future sibling contact. | 5 | | (i) Post Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement. When a child | 6 | | in the Department's care
has a permanency goal of adoption or | 7 | | private guardianship, and the Department is
preparing to | 8 | | finalize the adoption or guardianship, the Department shall | 9 | | convene a
meeting with the pre-adoptive parent or prospective | 10 | | guardian and the case manager for
the child being adopted or | 11 | | placed in guardianship and the foster parents and case
managers | 12 | | for the child's siblings, and others as applicable. The | 13 | | children should participate as is
developmentally appropriate. | 14 | | Others, such as therapists and mentors, may participate as
| 15 | | appropriate. At the meeting the Department shall encourage the | 16 | | parties to discuss
sibling contact post permanency. The | 17 | | Department may assist the parties in drafting a
post permanency | 18 | | sibling contact agreement. | 19 | | (1) Parties to the Agreement for Post Permanency | 20 | | Sibling Contact Agreement shall
include: | 21 | | (A) The adoptive parent or parents or guardian. | 22 | | (B) The child's sibling or siblings, parents or | 23 | | guardians. | 24 | | (C) The child. | 25 | | (2) Consent of child 14 and over. The written consent | 26 | | of a child age 14 and over to
the terms and conditions of |
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| 1 | | the Post Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement and
| 2 | | subsequent modifications is required. | 3 | | (3) In developing this Agreement, the Department shall | 4 | | encourage the parties to
consider the following factors: | 5 | | (A) the physical and emotional safety and welfare | 6 | | of the child; | 7 | | (B) the child's wishes; | 8 | | (C) the interaction and interrelationship of the | 9 | | child with the child's sibling or siblings
who would be | 10 | | visiting or communicating with the child, including: | 11 | | (i) the
quality of the relationship between | 12 | | the child and the sibling or siblings, and | 13 | | (ii) the
benefits and potential harms to the | 14 | | child in allowing the relationship or | 15 | | relationships to
continue or in ending them; | 16 | | (D) the child's sense of attachments to the birth | 17 | | sibling or siblings and adoptive family,
including: | 18 | | (i) the child's sense of being valued; | 19 | | (ii) the child's sense of familiarity; and | 20 | | (iii) continuity of affection for the child; | 21 | | and | 22 | | (E) other factors relevant to the best interest of | 23 | | the child. | 24 | | (4) In considering the factors in paragraph (3) of this | 25 | | subsection, the Department shall encourage the
parties to | 26 | | recognize the importance to a child of developing a |
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| 1 | | relationship with
siblings including siblings with whom | 2 | | the child does not yet have a relationship;
and the value | 3 | | of preserving family ties between the child and the child's | 4 | | siblings,
including: | 5 | | (A) the child's need for stability and continuity | 6 | | of relationships with
siblings, and | 7 | | (B) the importance of sibling contact in the | 8 | | development of the
child's identity. | 9 | | (5) Modification or termination of Post Permanency | 10 | | Sibling Contact Agreement. The
parties to the agreement may | 11 | | modify or terminate the Post Permanency Sibling
Contact | 12 | | Agreement. If the parties cannot agree to modification or | 13 | | termination,
they may request the assistance of the | 14 | | Department of Children and Family
Services or another | 15 | | agency identified and agreed upon by the parties to the | 16 | | Post
Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement. Any and all | 17 | | terms may be modified by
agreement of the parties. Post | 18 | | Permanency Sibling Contact Agreements may also
be modified | 19 | | to include contact with siblings whose whereabouts were | 20 | | unknown or
who had not yet been born when the Judgment | 21 | | Order for Adoption or Order for
Private Guardianship was | 22 | | entered. | 23 | | (6) Adoptions and private guardianships finalized | 24 | | prior to the effective date of amendatory Act. Nothing in | 25 | | this Section prohibits the parties from entering into a | 26 | | Post
Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement if the adoption |
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| 1 | | or private guardianship
was finalized prior to the | 2 | | effective date of this Section. If the Agreement is
| 3 | | completed and signed by the parties, the Department shall | 4 | | include the Post
Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement in | 5 | | the child's Post Adoption or Private
Guardianship case | 6 | | record and in the case file of siblings who are parties to | 7 | | the
agreement who are in the Department's custody or | 8 | | guardianship.
| 9 | | (1) the wishes of the child;
| 10 | | (2) the interaction and interrelationship of the child | 11 | | with
the applicant to adopt the child;
| 12 | | (3) the child's need for stability and continuity of
| 13 | | relationship with parent figures;
| 14 | | (4) the child's adjustment to his or her present home, | 15 | | school, and
community;
| 16 | | (5) the mental and physical health of all individuals | 17 | | involved;
| 18 | | (6) the family ties between the child and the child's | 19 | | relatives,
including siblings;
| 20 | | (7) the background, age, and living arrangements of the | 21 | | applicant
to adopt the child;
| 22 | | (8) a criminal background report of the applicant to | 23 | | adopt the child.
| 24 | | (c) The Department may refuse to inform the adoptive | 25 | | parents of a
biological sibling of a child that the child is | 26 | | available for adoption,
as required under subsection (a), only |
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| 1 | | for a reason permitted under criteria
adopted by the Department | 2 | | by rule.
| 3 | | (Source: P.A. 92-666, eff. 7-16-02.)
| 4 | | Section 10. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by | 5 | | changing Sections 1-3, 2-10, 2-23, and 2-28 as follows:
| 6 | | (705 ILCS 405/1-3) (from Ch. 37, par. 801-3)
| 7 | | Sec. 1-3. Definitions. Terms used in this Act, unless the | 8 | | context
otherwise requires, have the following meanings | 9 | | ascribed to them:
| 10 | | (1) "Adjudicatory hearing" means a hearing to
determine | 11 | | whether the allegations of a petition under Section 2-13, 3-15 | 12 | | or
4-12 that a minor under 18 years of age is abused, neglected | 13 | | or dependent, or
requires authoritative intervention, or | 14 | | addicted, respectively, are supported
by a preponderance of the | 15 | | evidence or whether the allegations of a petition
under Section | 16 | | 5-520 that a minor is delinquent are proved beyond a reasonable
| 17 | | doubt.
| 18 | | (2) "Adult" means a person 21 years of age or older.
| 19 | | (3) "Agency" means a public or private child care facility
| 20 | | legally authorized or licensed by this State for placement or | 21 | | institutional
care or for both placement and institutional | 22 | | care.
| 23 | | (4) "Association" means any organization, public or
| 24 | | private, engaged in welfare functions which include services to |
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| 1 | | or on behalf of
children but does not include "agency" as | 2 | | herein defined.
| 3 | | (4.05) Whenever a "best interest" determination is
| 4 | | required, the following factors shall be considered in the | 5 | | context of the
child's age and developmental needs:
| 6 | | (a) the physical safety and welfare of the child, | 7 | | including food, shelter,
health, and clothing;
| 8 | | (b) the development of the child's identity;
| 9 | | (c) the child's background and ties, including | 10 | | familial,
cultural, and religious;
| 11 | | (d) the child's sense of attachments, including:
| 12 | | (i) where the child actually feels love, | 13 | | attachment, and a sense of
being valued (as opposed to | 14 | | where adults believe the child should
feel such love, | 15 | | attachment, and a sense of being valued);
| 16 | | (ii) the child's sense of security;
| 17 | | (iii) the child's sense of familiarity;
| 18 | | (iv) continuity of affection for the child;
| 19 | | (v) the least disruptive placement alternative for | 20 | | the child;
| 21 | | (e) the child's wishes and long-term goals;
| 22 | | (f) the child's community ties, including church, | 23 | | school, and friends;
| 24 | | (g) the child's need for permanence which includes the | 25 | | child's need for
stability and continuity of relationships | 26 | | with parent figures and with siblings
and other relatives;
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| 1 | | (h) the uniqueness of every family and child;
| 2 | | (i) the risks attendant to entering and being in | 3 | | substitute care; and
| 4 | | (j) the preferences of the persons available to care | 5 | | for the child.
| 6 | | (4.1) "Chronic truant" shall have the definition
ascribed | 7 | | to it in Section 26-2a of the School Code.
| 8 | | (5) "Court" means the circuit court in a session or | 9 | | division
assigned to hear proceedings under this Act.
| 10 | | (6) "Dispositional hearing" means a hearing to
determine | 11 | | whether a minor should be adjudged to be a ward of the court, | 12 | | and to
determine what order of disposition should be made in | 13 | | respect to a minor
adjudged to be a ward of the court.
| 14 | | (7) "Emancipated minor" means any minor 16 years of age or | 15 | | over who has
been completely or partially emancipated under the | 16 | | Emancipation of
Minors Act or
under this Act.
| 17 | | (8) "Guardianship of the person" of a minor
means the duty | 18 | | and authority to act in the best interests of the minor, | 19 | | subject
to residual parental rights and responsibilities, to | 20 | | make important decisions
in matters having a permanent effect | 21 | | on the life and development of the minor
and to be concerned | 22 | | with his or her general welfare. It includes but is not
| 23 | | necessarily limited to:
| 24 | | (a) the authority to consent to marriage, to enlistment | 25 | | in the armed
forces of the United States, or to a major | 26 | | medical, psychiatric, and
surgical treatment; to represent |
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| 1 | | the minor in legal actions; and to make
other decisions of | 2 | | substantial legal significance concerning the minor;
| 3 | | (b) the authority and duty of reasonable visitation, | 4 | | except to the
extent that these have been limited in the | 5 | | best interests of the minor by
court order;
| 6 | | (c) the rights and responsibilities of legal custody | 7 | | except where legal
custody has been vested in another | 8 | | person or agency; and
| 9 | | (d) the power to consent to the adoption of the minor, | 10 | | but only if
expressly conferred on the guardian in | 11 | | accordance with Section 2-29, 3-30, or
4-27.
| 12 | | (9) "Legal custody" means the relationship created by an
| 13 | | order of court in the best interests of the minor which imposes | 14 | | on the
custodian the responsibility of physical possession of a | 15 | | minor and the duty to
protect, train and discipline him and to | 16 | | provide him with food, shelter,
education and ordinary medical | 17 | | care, except as these are limited by residual
parental rights | 18 | | and responsibilities and the rights and responsibilities of the
| 19 | | guardian of the person, if any.
| 20 | | (9.1) "Mentally capable adult relative" means a person 21 | 21 | | years of age or older who is not suffering from a mental | 22 | | illness that prevents him or her from providing the care | 23 | | necessary to safeguard the physical safety and welfare of a | 24 | | minor who is left in that person's care by the parent or | 25 | | parents or other person responsible for the minor's welfare. | 26 | | (10) "Minor" means a person under the age of 21 years |
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| 1 | | subject to
this Act.
| 2 | | (11) "Parent" means the father or mother of a child and
| 3 | | includes any adoptive parent. It also includes a man (i)
whose | 4 | | paternity
is presumed or has been established under the law of | 5 | | this or another
jurisdiction or (ii) who has registered with | 6 | | the Putative Father Registry in
accordance with Section 12.1 of | 7 | | the Adoption Act and whose paternity has not
been ruled out | 8 | | under the law of this or another jurisdiction. It does not
| 9 | | include a
parent whose rights in respect to the
minor have been | 10 | | terminated in any manner provided by law. It does not include a | 11 | | person who has been or could be determined to be a parent under | 12 | | the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984, or similar parentage law in | 13 | | any other state, if that person has been convicted of or pled | 14 | | nolo contendere to a crime that resulted in the conception of | 15 | | the child under Section 11-1.20, 11-1.30, 11-1.40, 11-11, | 16 | | 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, subsection (a) or (b) (but not | 17 | | subsection (c)) of Section 11-1.50 or 12-15, or subsection (a), | 18 | | (b), (c), (e), or (f) (but not subsection (d)) of Section | 19 | | 11-1.60 or 12-16 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or similar | 20 | | statute in another jurisdiction unless upon motion of any | 21 | | party, other than the offender, to the juvenile court | 22 | | proceedings the court finds it is in the child's best interest | 23 | | to deem the offender a parent for purposes of the juvenile | 24 | | court proceedings.
| 25 | | (11.1) "Permanency goal" means a goal set by the court as | 26 | | defined in
subdivision (2) of Section 2-28.
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| 1 | | (11.2) "Permanency hearing" means a hearing to set the | 2 | | permanency goal and
to review and determine (i) the | 3 | | appropriateness of the services contained in
the plan and | 4 | | whether those services have been provided, (ii) whether | 5 | | reasonable
efforts have been made by all the parties to the | 6 | | service plan to achieve the
goal, and (iii) whether the plan | 7 | | and goal have been achieved.
| 8 | | (12) "Petition" means the petition provided for in Section
| 9 | | 2-13, 3-15, 4-12 or 5-520, including any supplemental petitions | 10 | | thereunder
in Section 3-15, 4-12 or 5-520.
| 11 | | (12.1) "Physically capable adult relative" means a person | 12 | | 21 years of age or older who does not have a severe physical | 13 | | disability or medical condition, or is not suffering from | 14 | | alcoholism or drug addiction, that prevents him or her from | 15 | | providing the care necessary to safeguard the physical safety | 16 | | and welfare of a minor who is left in that person's care by the | 17 | | parent or parents or other person responsible for the minor's | 18 | | welfare. | 19 | | (12.2) "Post Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement" has the | 20 | | meaning ascribed to the term in Section 7.4 of the Children and | 21 | | Family Services Act. | 22 | | (13) "Residual parental
rights and responsibilities" means | 23 | | those rights and responsibilities remaining
with the parent | 24 | | after the transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the
| 25 | | person, including, but not necessarily limited to, the right to | 26 | | reasonable
visitation (which may be limited by the court in the |
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| 1 | | best interests of the
minor as provided in subsection (8)(b) of | 2 | | this Section), the right to consent
to adoption, the right to | 3 | | determine the minor's religious affiliation, and the
| 4 | | responsibility for his support.
| 5 | | (14) "Shelter" means the temporary care of a minor in
| 6 | | physically unrestricting facilities pending court disposition | 7 | | or execution of
court order for placement.
| 8 | | (14.1) "Sibling Contact Support Plan" has the meaning | 9 | | ascribed to the term in Section 7.4 of the Children and Family | 10 | | Services Act. | 11 | | (15) "Station adjustment" means the informal
handling of an | 12 | | alleged offender by a juvenile police officer.
| 13 | | (16) "Ward of the court" means a minor who is so
adjudged | 14 | | under Section 2-22, 3-23, 4-20 or 5-705, after a finding of the
| 15 | | requisite jurisdictional facts, and thus is subject to the | 16 | | dispositional powers
of the court under this Act.
| 17 | | (17) "Juvenile police officer" means a sworn
police officer | 18 | | who has completed a Basic Recruit Training Course, has been
| 19 | | assigned to the position of juvenile police officer by his or | 20 | | her chief law
enforcement officer and has completed the | 21 | | necessary juvenile officers training
as prescribed by the | 22 | | Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, or in
the | 23 | | case of a State police officer, juvenile officer
training | 24 | | approved by the Director of the Department of State Police.
| 25 | | (18) "Secure child care facility" means any child care | 26 | | facility licensed
by the Department of Children and Family |
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| 1 | | Services to provide secure living
arrangements for children | 2 | | under 18 years of age who are subject to placement in
| 3 | | facilities under the Children and Family Services Act and who | 4 | | are not subject
to placement in facilities for whom standards | 5 | | are established by the Department
of Corrections under Section | 6 | | 3-15-2 of the Unified Code of Corrections.
"Secure child care | 7 | | facility" also means a
facility that is designed and operated | 8 | | to ensure that all entrances and
exits
from the facility, a | 9 | | building, or a distinct part of the building are under the
| 10 | | exclusive control of the staff of the facility, whether or not | 11 | | the child has
the freedom of movement within the perimeter of | 12 | | the facility, building, or
distinct part of the building.
| 13 | | (Source: P.A. 96-168, eff. 8-10-09; 97-568, eff. 8-25-11.)
| 14 | | (705 ILCS 405/2-10) (from Ch. 37, par. 802-10)
| 15 | | Sec. 2-10. Temporary custody hearing. At the appearance of | 16 | | the
minor before the court at the temporary custody hearing, | 17 | | all
witnesses present shall be examined before the court in | 18 | | relation to any
matter connected with the allegations made in | 19 | | the petition.
| 20 | | (1) If the court finds that there is not probable cause to | 21 | | believe
that the minor is abused, neglected or dependent it | 22 | | shall release
the minor and dismiss the petition.
| 23 | | (2) If the court finds that there is probable cause to | 24 | | believe that
the minor is abused, neglected or dependent, the | 25 | | court shall state in writing
the factual basis supporting its |
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| 1 | | finding and the minor, his or her parent,
guardian, custodian | 2 | | and other persons able to give relevant testimony
shall be | 3 | | examined before the court. The Department of Children and
| 4 | | Family Services shall give testimony concerning indicated | 5 | | reports of abuse
and neglect, of which they are aware of | 6 | | through the central registry,
involving the minor's parent, | 7 | | guardian or custodian. After such
testimony, the court may, | 8 | | consistent with
the health,
safety and best interests of the | 9 | | minor,
enter an order that the minor shall be released
upon the | 10 | | request of parent, guardian or custodian if the parent, | 11 | | guardian
or custodian appears to take custody. If it is | 12 | | determined that a parent's, guardian's, or custodian's | 13 | | compliance with critical services mitigates the necessity for | 14 | | removal of the minor from his or her home, the court may enter | 15 | | an Order of Protection setting forth reasonable conditions of | 16 | | behavior that a parent, guardian, or custodian must observe for | 17 | | a specified period of time, not to exceed 12 months, without a | 18 | | violation; provided, however, that the 12-month period shall | 19 | | begin anew after any violation. Custodian shall include any | 20 | | agency of
the State which has been given custody or wardship of | 21 | | the child. If it is
consistent with the health, safety and best | 22 | | interests of the
minor, the
court may also prescribe shelter | 23 | | care and
order that the minor be kept in a suitable place | 24 | | designated by the court or in
a shelter care facility | 25 | | designated by the Department of Children and Family
Services or | 26 | | a licensed child welfare
agency; however, a minor charged with |
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| 1 | | a
criminal offense under the Criminal Code of 1961 or | 2 | | adjudicated delinquent
shall not be placed in the custody of or | 3 | | committed to the Department of
Children and Family Services by | 4 | | any court, except a minor less than 15
years of age and | 5 | | committed to the Department of Children and Family Services
| 6 | | under Section 5-710 of this Act or a minor for whom an | 7 | | independent
basis of
abuse, neglect, or dependency exists.
An | 8 | | independent basis exists when the allegations or adjudication | 9 | | of abuse, neglect, or dependency do not arise from the same | 10 | | facts, incident, or circumstances which give rise to a charge | 11 | | or adjudication of delinquency.
| 12 | | In placing the minor, the Department or other
agency shall, | 13 | | to the extent
compatible with the court's order, comply with | 14 | | Section 7 of the Children and
Family Services Act.
In | 15 | | determining
the health, safety and best interests of the minor | 16 | | to prescribe shelter
care, the court must
find that it is a | 17 | | matter of immediate and urgent necessity for the safety
and | 18 | | protection
of the minor or of the person or property of another | 19 | | that the minor be placed
in a shelter care facility or that he | 20 | | or she is likely to flee the jurisdiction
of the court, and | 21 | | must further find that reasonable efforts have been made or
| 22 | | that, consistent with the health, safety and best interests of
| 23 | | the minor, no efforts reasonably can be made to
prevent or | 24 | | eliminate the necessity of removal of the minor from his or her
| 25 | | home. The court shall require documentation from the Department | 26 | | of Children and
Family Services as to the reasonable efforts |
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| 1 | | that were made to prevent or
eliminate the necessity of removal | 2 | | of the minor from his or her home or the
reasons why no efforts | 3 | | reasonably could be made to prevent or eliminate the
necessity | 4 | | of removal. When a minor is placed in the home of a relative, | 5 | | the
Department of Children and Family Services shall complete a | 6 | | preliminary
background review of the members of the minor's | 7 | | custodian's household in
accordance with Section 4.3 of the | 8 | | Child Care Act of 1969 within 90 days of
that placement. If the | 9 | | minor is ordered placed in a shelter care facility of
the | 10 | | Department of Children and
Family Services or a licensed child | 11 | | welfare agency, the court shall, upon
request of the | 12 | | appropriate Department or other agency, appoint the
Department | 13 | | of Children and Family Services Guardianship Administrator or
| 14 | | other appropriate agency executive temporary custodian of the | 15 | | minor and the
court may enter such other orders related to the | 16 | | temporary custody as it
deems fit and proper, including the | 17 | | provision of services to the minor or
his family to ameliorate | 18 | | the causes contributing to the finding of probable
cause or to | 19 | | the finding of the existence of immediate and urgent necessity.
| 20 | | Where the Department of Children and Family Services | 21 | | Guardianship Administrator is appointed as the executive | 22 | | temporary custodian, the Department of Children and Family | 23 | | Services shall file with the court and serve on the parties a | 24 | | parent-child visiting plan, within 10 days, excluding weekends | 25 | | and holidays, after the appointment. The parent-child visiting | 26 | | plan shall set out the time and place of visits, the frequency |
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| 1 | | of visits, the length of visits, who shall be present at the | 2 | | visits, and where appropriate, the minor's opportunities to | 3 | | have telephone and mail communication with the parents. | 4 | | Where the Department of Children and Family Services | 5 | | Guardianship Administrator is
appointed as the executive | 6 | | temporary custodian, and when the child has siblings in care,
| 7 | | the Department of Children and Family Services shall file with | 8 | | the court and serve on the
parties a sibling placement and | 9 | | contact plan within 10 days, excluding weekends and
holidays, | 10 | | after the appointment. The sibling placement and contact plan | 11 | | shall set forth
whether the siblings are placed together and if | 12 | | they are not placed together, what if any
efforts are being | 13 | | made to place them together. If the Department has determined | 14 | | that it is
not in a child's best interest to be placed with a | 15 | | sibling, the Department shall document in
the sibling placement | 16 | | and contact plan the basis for its determination. For siblings | 17 | | placed
separately, the sibling placement and contact plan shall | 18 | | set the time and place for visits,
the frequency of the visits, | 19 | | the length of visits, who shall be present for the visits, and
| 20 | | where appropriate, the child's opportunities to have contact | 21 | | with their siblings in addition to
in person contact. If the | 22 | | Department determines it is not in the best interest of a | 23 | | sibling to
have contact with a sibling, the Department shall | 24 | | document in the sibling placement and
contact plan the basis | 25 | | for its determination. The sibling placement and contact plan | 26 | | shall
specify a date for development of the Sibling Contact |
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| 1 | | Support Plan, under subsection (f) of Section 7.4 of the | 2 | | Children and Family Services Act, and shall remain in effect | 3 | | until the Sibling Contact Support Plan is developed. | 4 | | For good cause, the court may waive the requirement to | 5 | | file the parent-child visiting plan or the sibling placement | 6 | | and contact plan, or extend the time for filing either the | 7 | | parent-child visiting plan. Any party may, by motion, request | 8 | | the court to review the parent-child visiting plan to determine | 9 | | whether it is reasonably calculated to expeditiously | 10 | | facilitate the achievement of the permanency goal . A party may, | 11 | | by motion, request the court to review the parent-child | 12 | | visiting plan or the sibling placement and contact plan to | 13 | | determine whether it is and is consistent with the minor's best | 14 | | interest. The court may refer the parties to mediation where | 15 | | available. The frequency, duration, and locations of | 16 | | visitation shall be measured by the needs of the child and | 17 | | family, and not by the convenience of Department personnel. | 18 | | Child development principles shall be considered by the court | 19 | | in its analysis of how frequent visitation should be, how long | 20 | | it should last, where it should take place, and who should be | 21 | | present. If upon motion of the party to review either the plan | 22 | | and after receiving evidence, the court determines that the | 23 | | parent-child visiting plan is not reasonably calculated to | 24 | | expeditiously facilitate the achievement of the permanency | 25 | | goal or that the restrictions placed on parent-child contact or | 26 | | sibling placement or contact are contrary to the child's best |
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| 1 | | interests, the court shall put in writing the factual basis | 2 | | supporting the determination and enter specific findings based | 3 | | on the evidence. The court shall enter an order for the | 4 | | Department to implement changes to the parent-child visiting | 5 | | plan or sibling placement or contact plan , consistent with the | 6 | | court's findings. At any stage of proceeding, any party may by | 7 | | motion request the court to enter any orders necessary to | 8 | | implement the parent-child visiting plan , sibling placement or | 9 | | contact plan or subsequently developed Sibling Contact Support | 10 | | Plan . Nothing under this subsection (2) shall restrict the | 11 | | court from granting discretionary authority to the Department | 12 | | to increase opportunities for additional parent-child contacts | 13 | | or sibling contacts , without further court orders. Nothing in | 14 | | this subsection (2) shall restrict the Department from | 15 | | immediately restricting or terminating parent-child contact or | 16 | | sibling contacts , without either amending the parent-child | 17 | | visiting plan or the sibling contact plan or obtaining a court | 18 | | order, where the Department or its assigns reasonably believe | 19 | | that continuation of the parent-child contact, as set out in | 20 | | the parent-child visiting plan, would be contrary to the | 21 | | child's health, safety, and welfare. The Department shall file | 22 | | with the court and serve on the parties any amendments to the | 23 | | visitation plan within 10 days, excluding weekends and | 24 | | holidays, of the change of the visitation. Any party may, by | 25 | | motion, request the court to review the parent-child visiting | 26 | | plan to determine whether the parent-child visiting plan is |
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| 1 | | reasonably calculated to expeditiously facilitate the | 2 | | achievement of the permanency goal, and is consistent with the | 3 | | minor's health, safety, and best interest.
| 4 | | Acceptance of services shall not be considered an admission | 5 | | of any
allegation in a petition made pursuant to this Act, nor | 6 | | may a referral of
services be considered as evidence in any | 7 | | proceeding pursuant to this Act,
except where the issue is | 8 | | whether the Department has made reasonable
efforts to reunite | 9 | | the family. In making its findings that it is
consistent with | 10 | | the health, safety and best
interests of the minor to prescribe | 11 | | shelter care, the court shall state in
writing (i) the factual | 12 | | basis supporting its findings concerning the
immediate and | 13 | | urgent necessity for the protection of the minor or of the | 14 | | person
or property of another and (ii) the factual basis | 15 | | supporting its findings that
reasonable efforts were made to | 16 | | prevent or eliminate the removal of the minor
from his or her | 17 | | home or that no efforts reasonably could be made to prevent or
| 18 | | eliminate the removal of the minor from his or her home. The
| 19 | | parents, guardian, custodian, temporary custodian and minor | 20 | | shall each be
furnished a copy of such written findings. The | 21 | | temporary custodian shall
maintain a copy of the court order | 22 | | and written findings in the case record
for the child. The | 23 | | order together with the court's findings of fact in
support | 24 | | thereof shall be entered of record in the court.
| 25 | | Once the court finds that it is a matter of immediate and | 26 | | urgent necessity
for the protection of the minor that the minor |
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| 1 | | be placed in a shelter care
facility, the minor shall not be | 2 | | returned to the parent, custodian or guardian
until the court | 3 | | finds that such placement is no longer necessary for the
| 4 | | protection of the minor.
| 5 | | If the child is placed in the temporary custody of the | 6 | | Department of
Children
and Family
Services for his or her | 7 | | protection, the court shall admonish the parents,
guardian,
| 8 | | custodian or responsible relative that the parents must | 9 | | cooperate with the
Department of Children and Family Services, | 10 | | comply
with the terms of the service plans, and correct the | 11 | | conditions which require
the child to be in care, or risk | 12 | | termination of their parental
rights.
| 13 | | (3) If prior to the shelter care hearing for a minor | 14 | | described in Sections
2-3, 2-4, 3-3 and 4-3 the moving party is | 15 | | unable to serve notice on the
party respondent, the shelter | 16 | | care hearing may proceed ex-parte. A shelter
care order from an | 17 | | ex-parte hearing shall be endorsed with the date and
hour of | 18 | | issuance and shall be filed with the clerk's office and entered | 19 | | of
record. The order shall expire after 10 days from the time | 20 | | it is issued
unless before its expiration it is renewed, at a | 21 | | hearing upon appearance
of the party respondent, or upon an | 22 | | affidavit of the moving party as to all
diligent efforts to | 23 | | notify the party respondent by notice as herein
prescribed. The | 24 | | notice prescribed shall be in writing and shall be
personally | 25 | | delivered to the minor or the minor's attorney and to the last
| 26 | | known address of the other person or persons entitled to |
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| 1 | | notice. The
notice shall also state the nature of the | 2 | | allegations, the nature of the
order sought by the State, | 3 | | including whether temporary custody is sought,
and the | 4 | | consequences of failure to appear and shall contain a notice
| 5 | | that the parties will not be entitled to further written | 6 | | notices or publication
notices of proceedings in this case, | 7 | | including the filing of an amended
petition or a motion to | 8 | | terminate parental rights, except as required by
Supreme Court | 9 | | Rule 11; and shall explain the
right of
the parties and the | 10 | | procedures to vacate or modify a shelter care order as
provided | 11 | | in this Section. The notice for a shelter care hearing shall be
| 12 | | substantially as follows:
| 13 | | NOTICE TO PARENTS AND CHILDREN
| 14 | | OF SHELTER CARE HEARING
| 15 | | On ................ at ........., before the Honorable | 16 | | ................,
(address:) ................., the State | 17 | | of Illinois will present evidence
(1) that (name of child | 18 | | or children) ....................... are abused,
neglected | 19 | | or dependent for the following reasons:
| 20 | | ..............................................
and (2) | 21 | | whether there is "immediate and urgent necessity" to remove | 22 | | the child
or children from the responsible relative.
| 23 | | YOUR FAILURE TO APPEAR AT THE HEARING MAY RESULT IN | 24 | | PLACEMENT of the
child or children in foster care until a | 25 | | trial can be held. A trial may
not be held for up to 90 | 26 | | days. You will not be entitled to further notices
of |
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| 1 | | proceedings in this case, including the filing of an | 2 | | amended petition or a
motion to terminate parental rights.
| 3 | | At the shelter care hearing, parents have the following | 4 | | rights:
| 5 | | 1. To ask the court to appoint a lawyer if they | 6 | | cannot afford one.
| 7 | | 2. To ask the court to continue the hearing to | 8 | | allow them time to
prepare.
| 9 | | 3. To present evidence concerning:
| 10 | | a. Whether or not the child or children were | 11 | | abused, neglected
or dependent.
| 12 | | b. Whether or not there is "immediate and | 13 | | urgent necessity" to remove
the child from home | 14 | | (including: their ability to care for the child,
| 15 | | conditions in the home, alternative means of | 16 | | protecting the child other
than removal).
| 17 | | c. The best interests of the child.
| 18 | | 4. To cross examine the State's witnesses.
| 19 | | The Notice for rehearings shall be substantially as | 20 | | follows:
| 21 | | NOTICE OF PARENT'S AND CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
| 22 | | TO REHEARING ON TEMPORARY CUSTODY
| 23 | | If you were not present at and did not have adequate | 24 | | notice of the
Shelter Care Hearing at which temporary | 25 | | custody of ............... was
awarded to |
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| 1 | | ................, you have the right to request a full | 2 | | rehearing
on whether the State should have temporary | 3 | | custody of ................. To
request this rehearing, | 4 | | you must file with the Clerk of the Juvenile Court
| 5 | | (address): ........................, in person or by | 6 | | mailing a statement
(affidavit) setting forth the | 7 | | following:
| 8 | | 1. That you were not present at the shelter care | 9 | | hearing.
| 10 | | 2. That you did not get adequate notice (explaining | 11 | | how the notice
was inadequate).
| 12 | | 3. Your signature.
| 13 | | 4. Signature must be notarized.
| 14 | | The rehearing should be scheduled within 48 hours of | 15 | | your filing this
affidavit.
| 16 | | At the rehearing, your rights are the same as at the | 17 | | initial shelter care
hearing. The enclosed notice explains | 18 | | those rights.
| 19 | | At the Shelter Care Hearing, children have the | 20 | | following rights:
| 21 | | 1. To have a guardian ad litem appointed.
| 22 | | 2. To be declared competent as a witness and to | 23 | | present testimony
concerning:
| 24 | | a. Whether they are abused, neglected or | 25 | | dependent.
| 26 | | b. Whether there is "immediate and urgent |
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| 1 | | necessity" to be
removed from home.
| 2 | | c. Their best interests.
| 3 | | 3. To cross examine witnesses for other parties.
| 4 | | 4. To obtain an explanation of any proceedings and | 5 | | orders of the
court.
| 6 | | (4) If the parent, guardian, legal custodian, responsible | 7 | | relative,
minor age 8 or over, or counsel of the minor did not | 8 | | have actual notice of
or was not present at the shelter care | 9 | | hearing, he or she may file an
affidavit setting forth these | 10 | | facts, and the clerk shall set the matter for
rehearing not | 11 | | later than 48 hours, excluding Sundays and legal holidays,
| 12 | | after the filing of the affidavit. At the rehearing, the court | 13 | | shall
proceed in the same manner as upon the original hearing.
| 14 | | (5) Only when there is reasonable cause to believe that the | 15 | | minor
taken into custody is a person described in subsection | 16 | | (3) of Section
5-105 may the minor be
kept or detained in a | 17 | | detention home or county or municipal jail. This
Section shall | 18 | | in no way be construed to limit subsection (6).
| 19 | | (6) No minor under 16 years of age may be confined in a | 20 | | jail or place
ordinarily used for the confinement of prisoners | 21 | | in a police station. Minors
under 17 years of age must be kept | 22 | | separate from confined adults and may
not at any time be kept | 23 | | in the same cell, room, or yard with adults confined
pursuant | 24 | | to the criminal law.
| 25 | | (7) If the minor is not brought before a judicial officer | 26 | | within the
time period as specified in Section 2-9, the minor |
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| 1 | | must immediately be
released from custody.
| 2 | | (8) If neither the parent, guardian or custodian appears | 3 | | within 24
hours to take custody of a minor released upon | 4 | | request pursuant to
subsection (2) of this Section, then the | 5 | | clerk of the court shall set the
matter for rehearing not later | 6 | | than 7 days after the original order and
shall issue a summons | 7 | | directed to the parent, guardian or custodian to
appear. At the | 8 | | same time the probation department shall prepare a report
on | 9 | | the minor. If a parent, guardian or custodian does not appear | 10 | | at such
rehearing, the judge may enter an order prescribing | 11 | | that the minor be kept
in a suitable place designated by the | 12 | | Department of Children and Family
Services or a licensed child | 13 | | welfare agency.
| 14 | | (9) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section any | 15 | | interested party, including the State, the temporary
| 16 | | custodian, an agency providing services to the minor or family | 17 | | under a
service plan pursuant to Section 8.2 of the Abused and | 18 | | Neglected Child
Reporting Act, foster parent, or any of their | 19 | | representatives, on notice
to all parties entitled to notice, | 20 | | may file a motion that it is in the best
interests of the minor | 21 | | to modify or vacate a
temporary custody order on any of the | 22 | | following grounds:
| 23 | | (a) It is no longer a matter of immediate and urgent | 24 | | necessity that the
minor remain in shelter care; or
| 25 | | (b) There is a material change in the circumstances of | 26 | | the natural
family from which the minor was removed and the |
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| 1 | | child can be cared for at
home without endangering the | 2 | | child's health or safety; or
| 3 | | (c) A person not a party to the alleged abuse, neglect | 4 | | or dependency,
including a parent, relative or legal | 5 | | guardian, is capable of assuming
temporary custody of the | 6 | | minor; or
| 7 | | (d) Services provided by the Department of Children and | 8 | | Family Services
or a child welfare agency or other service | 9 | | provider have been successful in
eliminating the need for | 10 | | temporary custody and the child can be cared for at
home | 11 | | without endangering the child's health or safety.
| 12 | | In ruling on the motion, the court shall determine whether | 13 | | it is consistent
with the health, safety and best interests of | 14 | | the minor to modify
or vacate a temporary custody order.
| 15 | | The clerk shall set the matter for hearing not later than | 16 | | 14 days after
such motion is filed. In the event that the court | 17 | | modifies or vacates a
temporary custody order but does not | 18 | | vacate its finding of probable cause,
the court may order that | 19 | | appropriate services be continued or initiated in
behalf of the | 20 | | minor and his or her family.
| 21 | | (10) When the court finds or has found that there is | 22 | | probable cause to
believe a minor is an abused minor as | 23 | | described in subsection (2) of Section
2-3
and that there is an | 24 | | immediate and urgent necessity for the abused minor to be
| 25 | | placed in shelter care, immediate and urgent necessity shall be | 26 | | presumed for
any other minor residing in the same household as |
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| 1 | | the abused minor provided:
| 2 | | (a) Such other minor is the subject of an abuse or | 3 | | neglect petition
pending before the court; and
| 4 | | (b) A party to the petition is seeking shelter care for | 5 | | such other minor.
| 6 | | Once the presumption of immediate and urgent necessity has | 7 | | been raised, the
burden of demonstrating the lack of immediate | 8 | | and urgent necessity shall be on
any party that is opposing | 9 | | shelter care for the other minor.
| 10 | | (Source: P.A. 94-604, eff. 1-1-06; 95-405, eff. 6-1-08; 95-642, | 11 | | eff. 6-1-08; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
| 12 | | (705 ILCS 405/2-23) (from Ch. 37, par. 802-23)
| 13 | | Sec. 2-23. Kinds of dispositional orders.
| 14 | | (1) The following kinds of orders of disposition may be | 15 | | made in respect of
wards of the court:
| 16 | | (a) A minor under 18 years of age found to be neglected | 17 | | or abused under
Section 2-3 or dependent under Section 2-4 | 18 | | may be (1) continued in the
custody of his or her parents,
| 19 | | guardian or legal custodian; (2) placed in accordance with | 20 | | Section 2-27;
(3) restored to the custody of the parent, | 21 | | parents, guardian, or legal
custodian, provided the court | 22 | | shall order the parent, parents, guardian, or
legal | 23 | | custodian to cooperate with the Department of Children and | 24 | | Family
Services and comply with the terms of an after-care | 25 | | plan or risk the loss of
custody of the child and the |
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| 1 | | possible termination of their parental rights;
or
(4) | 2 | | ordered partially or completely emancipated in accordance | 3 | | with
the provisions of the Emancipation of Minors Act.
| 4 | | However, in any case in which a minor is found by the | 5 | | court to be
neglected or abused under Section 2-3 of this | 6 | | Act, custody of the minor
shall not be restored to any | 7 | | parent, guardian or legal custodian whose acts
or omissions | 8 | | or both have been identified, pursuant to subsection (1) of
| 9 | | Section 2-21, as forming the basis for the court's finding | 10 | | of abuse or
neglect, until such time
as a
hearing is held | 11 | | on the issue of the best interests of the minor and the | 12 | | fitness
of such parent, guardian or legal custodian to care | 13 | | for the minor without
endangering the minor's health or | 14 | | safety, and the court
enters an order that such parent, | 15 | | guardian or legal custodian is fit to care
for the minor.
| 16 | | (b) A minor under 18 years of age found to be dependent | 17 | | under
Section 2-4 may be (1) placed in accordance with | 18 | | Section 2-27 or (2)
ordered partially or completely | 19 | | emancipated in accordance with the
provisions of the | 20 | | Emancipation of Minors Act.
| 21 | | However, in any case in which a minor is found by the | 22 | | court to be
dependent under Section 2-4 of this Act, | 23 | | custody of the minor shall not be
restored to
any parent, | 24 | | guardian or legal custodian whose acts or omissions or both | 25 | | have
been identified, pursuant to subsection (1) of Section | 26 | | 2-21, as forming the
basis for the court's finding of |
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| 1 | | dependency, until such
time as a hearing is
held on the | 2 | | issue of the fitness of such parent, guardian or legal
| 3 | | custodian to care for the minor without endangering the | 4 | | minor's health or
safety, and the court enters an order | 5 | | that such
parent, guardian or legal custodian is fit to | 6 | | care for the minor.
| 7 | | (b-1) A minor between the ages of 18 and 21 may be | 8 | | placed pursuant to Section 2-27 of this Act if (1) the | 9 | | court has granted a supplemental petition to reinstate | 10 | | wardship of the minor pursuant to subsection (2) of Section | 11 | | 2-33, or (2) the court has adjudicated the minor a ward of | 12 | | the court, permitted the minor to return home under an | 13 | | order of protection, and subsequently made a finding that | 14 | | it is in the minor's best interest to vacate the order of | 15 | | protection and commit the minor to the Department of | 16 | | Children and Family Services for care and service.
| 17 | | (c) When the court awards guardianship to the | 18 | | Department of Children and
Family Services, the court shall | 19 | | order the parents to cooperate with the
Department of | 20 | | Children and Family Services, comply with the terms of the
| 21 | | service plans, and correct the conditions that require the | 22 | | child to be in care,
or risk termination of their parental | 23 | | rights.
| 24 | | (2) Any order of disposition may provide for protective | 25 | | supervision
under Section 2-24 and may include an order of | 26 | | protection under Section 2-25.
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| 1 | | Unless the order of disposition expressly so provides, it | 2 | | does
not operate to close proceedings on the pending petition, | 3 | | but is subject
to modification, not inconsistent with Section | 4 | | 2-28, until final closing and discharge of the proceedings | 5 | | under
Section 2-31.
| 6 | | (3) The court also shall enter any other orders necessary | 7 | | to fulfill the
service plan, including, but not limited to, (i) | 8 | | orders requiring parties to
cooperate with services, (ii) | 9 | | restraining orders controlling the conduct of any
party likely | 10 | | to frustrate the achievement of the goal, and (iii) visiting
| 11 | | orders. When the child is placed separately from a sibling, the
| 12 | | court shall review the Sibling Contact Support Plan developed | 13 | | under subsection (f) of Section 7.4 of the Children and Family | 14 | | Services Act, if applicable. If the Department has not convened | 15 | | a meeting to develop a Sibling
Contact Support Plan, or if the | 16 | | court finds that the existing Plan is not in the child's best
| 17 | | interest, the court may enter an order requiring the Department | 18 | | to develop and implement
a Sibling Contact Support Plan under | 19 | | subsection (f) of Section 7.4 of the Children and Family | 20 | | Services Act or order mediation. Unless otherwise specifically | 21 | | authorized by law, the court is not
empowered under this | 22 | | subsection (3) to order specific placements, specific
| 23 | | services, or specific service
providers to be included in the | 24 | | plan. If, after receiving evidence, the court determines that | 25 | | the services contained in the plan are not reasonably | 26 | | calculated to facilitate achievement of the permanency goal, |
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| 1 | | the court shall put in writing the factual basis supporting the | 2 | | determination and enter specific findings based on the | 3 | | evidence. The court also shall enter an order for the | 4 | | Department to develop and implement a new service plan or to | 5 | | implement changes to the current service plan consistent with | 6 | | the court's findings. The new service plan shall be filed with | 7 | | the court and served on all parties within 45 days after the | 8 | | date of the order. The court shall continue the matter until | 9 | | the new service plan is filed. Unless otherwise specifically | 10 | | authorized by law, the court is not empowered under this | 11 | | subsection (3) or under subsection (2) to order specific | 12 | | placements, specific services, or specific service providers | 13 | | to be included in the plan.
| 14 | | (4) In addition to any other order of disposition, the | 15 | | court may order
any minor adjudicated neglected with respect to | 16 | | his or her own injurious
behavior to make restitution, in | 17 | | monetary or non-monetary form, under the
terms and conditions | 18 | | of Section 5-5-6 of the Unified Code of Corrections,
except | 19 | | that the "presentence hearing" referred to therein shall be the
| 20 | | dispositional hearing for purposes of this Section. The parent, | 21 | | guardian
or legal custodian of the minor may pay some or all of | 22 | | such restitution on
the minor's behalf.
| 23 | | (5) Any order for disposition where the minor is committed | 24 | | or placed in
accordance with Section 2-27 shall provide for the | 25 | | parents or guardian of
the estate of such minor to pay to the | 26 | | legal custodian or guardian of the
person of the minor such |
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| 1 | | sums as are determined by the custodian or guardian
of the | 2 | | person of the minor as necessary for the minor's needs. Such | 3 | | payments
may not exceed the maximum amounts provided for by | 4 | | Section 9.1 of the
Children and Family Services Act.
| 5 | | (6) Whenever the order of disposition requires the minor to | 6 | | attend
school or participate in a program of training, the | 7 | | truant officer or
designated school official shall regularly | 8 | | report to the court if the minor
is a chronic or habitual | 9 | | truant under Section 26-2a of the School Code.
| 10 | | (7) The court may terminate the parental rights of a parent | 11 | | at the initial
dispositional hearing if all of the conditions | 12 | | in subsection (5) of Section
2-21 are met.
| 13 | | (Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 96-581, eff. 1-1-10; | 14 | | 96-600, eff. 8-21-09; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10.)
| 15 | | (705 ILCS 405/2-28) (from Ch. 37, par. 802-28)
| 16 | | Sec. 2-28. Court review.
| 17 | | (1) The court may require any legal custodian or guardian | 18 | | of the person
appointed under this Act to report periodically | 19 | | to the court or may cite
him into court and require him or his | 20 | | agency, to make a full and
accurate report of his or its doings | 21 | | in behalf of the minor. The
custodian or guardian, within 10 | 22 | | days after such citation, shall make
the report, either in | 23 | | writing verified by affidavit or orally under oath
in open | 24 | | court, or otherwise as the court directs. Upon the hearing of
| 25 | | the report the court may remove the custodian or guardian and |
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| 1 | | appoint
another in his stead or restore the minor to the | 2 | | custody of his parents
or former guardian or custodian. | 3 | | However, custody of the minor shall
not be restored to any | 4 | | parent, guardian or legal custodian in any case
in which the | 5 | | minor is found to be neglected or abused under Section 2-3 or
| 6 | | dependent under Section 2-4 of this
Act, unless the minor can | 7 | | be cared for at home without endangering the
minor's health or | 8 | | safety and it is in the best interests of the minor, and
if | 9 | | such neglect,
abuse, or dependency is found by the court under | 10 | | paragraph (1)
of Section 2-21 of
this Act to have come about | 11 | | due to the acts or omissions or both of such
parent, guardian
| 12 | | or legal custodian, until such time as an investigation is made | 13 | | as provided in
paragraph (5) and a hearing is held on the issue | 14 | | of the fitness of such parent,
guardian or legal custodian to | 15 | | care for the minor and the court enters an order
that such | 16 | | parent, guardian or legal custodian is fit to care for the | 17 | | minor.
| 18 | | (2) The first permanency hearing shall be
conducted by the | 19 | | judge. Subsequent permanency hearings may be
heard by a judge | 20 | | or by hearing officers appointed or approved by the court in
| 21 | | the manner set forth in Section 2-28.1 of this Act.
The initial | 22 | | hearing shall be held (a) within 12 months from the date
| 23 | | temporary
custody was taken, regardless of whether an | 24 | | adjudication or dispositional hearing has been completed | 25 | | within that time frame, (b) if the parental rights of both | 26 | | parents have been
terminated in accordance with the procedure |
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| 1 | | described in subsection (5) of
Section 2-21, within
30 days of | 2 | | the order for termination of parental rights and appointment of
| 3 | | a guardian with power to consent to adoption, or (c) in | 4 | | accordance with
subsection
(2) of Section 2-13.1. Subsequent | 5 | | permanency hearings
shall be held every 6 months
or more | 6 | | frequently if necessary in the court's determination following | 7 | | the
initial permanency hearing, in accordance with the | 8 | | standards set forth in this
Section, until the court determines | 9 | | that the plan and goal have been achieved.
Once the plan and | 10 | | goal have been achieved, if the minor remains in substitute
| 11 | | care, the case shall be reviewed at least every 6 months | 12 | | thereafter, subject to
the provisions of this Section, unless | 13 | | the minor is placed in the guardianship
of a suitable relative | 14 | | or other person and the court determines that further
| 15 | | monitoring by the court does not further the health, safety or | 16 | | best interest of
the child and that this is a stable permanent | 17 | | placement.
The permanency hearings must occur within the time | 18 | | frames set forth in this
subsection and may not be delayed in | 19 | | anticipation of a report from any source or due to the agency's | 20 | | failure to timely file its written report (this
written report | 21 | | means the one required under the next paragraph and does not
| 22 | | mean the service plan also referred to in that paragraph).
| 23 | | The public agency that is the custodian or guardian of the | 24 | | minor, or another
agency responsible for the minor's care, | 25 | | shall ensure that all parties to the
permanency hearings are | 26 | | provided a copy of the most recent
service plan prepared within |
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| 1 | | the prior 6 months
at least 14 days in advance of the hearing. | 2 | | If not contained in the plan, the
agency shall also include a | 3 | | report setting forth (i) any special
physical, psychological, | 4 | | educational, medical, emotional, or other needs of the
minor or | 5 | | his or her family that are relevant to a permanency or | 6 | | placement
determination and (ii) for any minor age 16 or over, | 7 | | a written description of
the programs and services that will | 8 | | enable the minor to prepare for independent
living. The | 9 | | agency's written report must detail what progress or lack of
| 10 | | progress the parent has made in correcting the conditions | 11 | | requiring the child
to be in care; whether the child can be | 12 | | returned home without jeopardizing the
child's health, safety, | 13 | | and welfare, and if not, what permanency goal is
recommended to | 14 | | be in the best interests of the child, and why the other
| 15 | | permanency goals are not appropriate. The caseworker must | 16 | | appear and testify
at the permanency hearing. If a permanency | 17 | | hearing has not previously been
scheduled by the court, the | 18 | | moving party shall move for the setting of a
permanency hearing | 19 | | and the entry of an order within the time frames set forth
in | 20 | | this subsection.
| 21 | | At the permanency hearing, the court shall determine the | 22 | | future status
of the child. The court shall set one of the | 23 | | following permanency goals:
| 24 | | (A) The minor will be returned home by a specific date | 25 | | within 5
months.
| 26 | | (B) The minor will be in short-term care with a
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| 1 | | continued goal to return home within a period not to exceed | 2 | | one
year, where the progress of the parent or parents is | 3 | | substantial giving
particular consideration to the age and | 4 | | individual needs of the minor.
| 5 | | (B-1) The minor will be in short-term care with a | 6 | | continued goal to return
home pending a status hearing. | 7 | | When the court finds that a parent has not made
reasonable | 8 | | efforts or reasonable progress to date, the court shall | 9 | | identify
what actions the parent and the Department must | 10 | | take in order to justify a
finding of reasonable efforts or | 11 | | reasonable progress and shall set a status
hearing to be | 12 | | held not earlier than 9 months from the date of | 13 | | adjudication nor
later than 11 months from the date of | 14 | | adjudication during which the parent's
progress will again | 15 | | be reviewed.
| 16 | | (C) The minor will be in substitute care pending court
| 17 | | determination on termination of parental rights.
| 18 | | (D) Adoption, provided that parental rights have been | 19 | | terminated or
relinquished.
| 20 | | (E) The guardianship of the minor will be transferred | 21 | | to an individual or
couple on a permanent basis provided | 22 | | that goals (A) through (D) have
been ruled out.
| 23 | | (F) The minor over age 15 will be in substitute care | 24 | | pending
independence.
| 25 | | (G) The minor will be in substitute care because he or | 26 | | she cannot be
provided for in a home environment due to |
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| 1 | | developmental
disabilities or mental illness or because he | 2 | | or she is a danger to self or
others, provided that goals | 3 | | (A) through (D) have been ruled out.
| 4 | | In selecting any permanency goal, the court shall indicate | 5 | | in writing the
reasons the goal was selected and why the | 6 | | preceding goals were ruled out.
Where the court has selected a | 7 | | permanency goal other than (A), (B), or (B-1),
the
Department | 8 | | of Children and Family Services shall not provide further
| 9 | | reunification services, but shall provide services
consistent | 10 | | with the goal
selected.
| 11 | | (H) Notwithstanding any other provision in this | 12 | | Section, the court may select the goal of continuing foster | 13 | | care as a permanency goal if: | 14 | | (1) The Department of Children and Family Services | 15 | | has custody and guardianship of the minor; | 16 | | (2) The court has ruled out all other permanency | 17 | | goals based on the child's best interest;
| 18 | | (3) The court has found compelling reasons, based | 19 | | on written documentation reviewed by the court, to | 20 | | place the minor in continuing foster care. Compelling | 21 | | reasons include:
| 22 | | (a) the child does not wish to be adopted or to | 23 | | be placed in the guardianship of his or her | 24 | | relative or foster care placement;
| 25 | | (b) the child exhibits an extreme level of need | 26 | | such that the removal of the child from his or her |
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| 1 | | placement would be detrimental to the child; or
| 2 | | (c) the child who is the subject of the | 3 | | permanency hearing has existing close and strong | 4 | | bonds with a sibling, and achievement of another | 5 | | permanency goal would substantially interfere with | 6 | | the subject child's sibling relationship, taking | 7 | | into consideration the nature and extent of the | 8 | | relationship, and whether ongoing contact is in | 9 | | the subject child's best interest, including | 10 | | long-term emotional interest, as compared with the | 11 | | legal and emotional benefit of permanence;
| 12 | | (4) The child has lived with the relative or foster | 13 | | parent for at least one year; and
| 14 | | (5) The relative or foster parent currently caring | 15 | | for the child is willing and capable of providing the | 16 | | child with a stable and permanent environment. | 17 | | The court shall set a
permanency
goal that is in the best | 18 | | interest of the child. In determining that goal, the court | 19 | | shall consult with the minor in an age-appropriate manner | 20 | | regarding the proposed permanency or transition plan for the | 21 | | minor. The court's determination
shall include the following | 22 | | factors:
| 23 | | (1) Age of the child.
| 24 | | (2) Options available for permanence, including both | 25 | | out-of-State and in-State placement options.
| 26 | | (3) Current placement of the child and the intent of |
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| 1 | | the family regarding
adoption.
| 2 | | (4) Emotional, physical, and mental status or | 3 | | condition of the child.
| 4 | | (5) Types of services previously offered and whether or | 5 | | not
the services were successful and, if not successful, | 6 | | the reasons the services
failed.
| 7 | | (6) Availability of services currently needed and | 8 | | whether the services
exist.
| 9 | | (7) Status of siblings of the minor.
| 10 | | The court shall consider (i) the permanency goal contained | 11 | | in the service
plan, (ii) the appropriateness of the
services | 12 | | contained in the plan and whether those services have been
| 13 | | provided, (iii) whether reasonable efforts have been made by | 14 | | all
the parties to the service plan to achieve the goal, and | 15 | | (iv) whether the plan
and goal have been achieved. All evidence
| 16 | | relevant to determining these questions, including oral and | 17 | | written reports,
may be admitted and may be relied on to the | 18 | | extent of their probative value.
| 19 | | The court shall make findings as to whether, in violation | 20 | | of Section 8.2 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, | 21 | | any portion of the service plan compels a child or parent to | 22 | | engage in any activity or refrain from any activity that is not | 23 | | reasonably related to remedying a condition or conditions that | 24 | | gave rise or which could give rise to any finding of child | 25 | | abuse or neglect. The services contained in the service plan | 26 | | shall include services reasonably related to remedy the |
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| 1 | | conditions that gave rise to removal of the child from the home | 2 | | of his or her parents, guardian, or legal custodian or that the | 3 | | court has found must be remedied prior to returning the child | 4 | | home. Any tasks the court requires of the parents, guardian, or | 5 | | legal custodian or child prior to returning the child home, | 6 | | must be reasonably related to remedying a condition or | 7 | | conditions that gave rise to or which could give rise to any | 8 | | finding of child abuse or neglect. | 9 | | If the permanency goal is to return home, the court shall | 10 | | make findings that identify any problems that are causing | 11 | | continued placement of the children away from the home and | 12 | | identify what outcomes would be considered a resolution to | 13 | | these problems. The court shall explain to the parents that | 14 | | these findings are based on the information that the court has | 15 | | at that time and may be revised, should additional evidence be | 16 | | presented to the court. | 17 | | The court shall review the Sibling Contact and Support Plan | 18 | | developed or modified under subsection (f) of Section 7.4 of | 19 | | the Children and Family Services Act, if applicable. If the | 20 | | Department has not convened a meeting to
develop or modify a | 21 | | Sibling Contact Support Plan, or if the court finds that the | 22 | | existing Plan
is not in the child's best interest, the court | 23 | | may enter an order requiring the Department to
develop, modify | 24 | | or implement a Sibling Contact Support Plan, or order | 25 | | mediation. | 26 | | If the goal has been achieved, the court shall enter orders |
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| 1 | | that are
necessary to conform the minor's legal custody and | 2 | | status to those findings.
| 3 | | If, after receiving evidence, the court determines that the | 4 | | services
contained in the plan are not reasonably calculated to | 5 | | facilitate achievement
of the permanency goal, the court shall | 6 | | put in writing the factual basis
supporting the determination | 7 | | and enter specific findings based on the evidence.
The court | 8 | | also shall enter an order for the Department to develop and
| 9 | | implement a new service plan or to implement changes to the | 10 | | current service
plan consistent with the court's findings. The | 11 | | new service plan shall be filed
with the court and served on | 12 | | all parties within 45 days of the date of the
order. The court | 13 | | shall continue the matter until the new service plan is
filed. | 14 | | Unless otherwise specifically authorized by law, the court is | 15 | | not
empowered under this subsection (2) or under subsection (3) | 16 | | to order specific
placements, specific services, or specific | 17 | | service providers to be included in
the plan.
| 18 | | A guardian or custodian appointed by the court pursuant to | 19 | | this Act shall
file updated case plans with the court every 6 | 20 | | months.
| 21 | | Rights of wards of the court under this Act are enforceable | 22 | | against
any public agency by complaints for relief by mandamus | 23 | | filed in any
proceedings brought under this Act.
| 24 | | (3) Following the permanency hearing, the court shall enter | 25 | | a written order
that includes the determinations required under | 26 | | subsection (2) of this
Section and sets forth the following:
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| 1 | | (a) The future status of the minor, including the | 2 | | permanency goal, and
any order necessary to conform the | 3 | | minor's legal custody and status to such
determination; or
| 4 | | (b) If the permanency goal of the minor cannot be | 5 | | achieved immediately,
the specific reasons for continuing | 6 | | the minor in the care of the Department of
Children and | 7 | | Family Services or other agency for short term placement, | 8 | | and the
following determinations:
| 9 | | (i) (Blank).
| 10 | | (ii) Whether the services required by the court
and | 11 | | by any service plan prepared within the prior 6 months
| 12 | | have been provided and (A) if so, whether the services | 13 | | were reasonably
calculated to facilitate the | 14 | | achievement of the permanency goal or (B) if not
| 15 | | provided, why the services were not provided.
| 16 | | (iii) Whether the minor's placement is necessary, | 17 | | and appropriate to the
plan and goal, recognizing the | 18 | | right of minors to the least restrictive (most
| 19 | | family-like) setting available and in close proximity | 20 | | to the parents' home
consistent with the health, | 21 | | safety, best interest and special needs of the
minor | 22 | | and, if the minor is placed out-of-State, whether the | 23 | | out-of-State
placement continues to be appropriate and | 24 | | consistent with the health, safety,
and best interest | 25 | | of the minor.
| 26 | | (iv) (Blank).
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| 1 | | (v) (Blank).
| 2 | | (4) The minor or any person interested in the minor may | 3 | | apply to the
court for a change in custody of the minor and the | 4 | | appointment of a new
custodian or guardian of the person or for | 5 | | the restoration of the minor
to the custody of his parents or | 6 | | former guardian or custodian.
| 7 | | When return home is not selected as the permanency goal:
| 8 | | (a) The Department, the minor, or the current
foster | 9 | | parent or relative
caregiver seeking private guardianship | 10 | | may file a motion for private
guardianship of the minor. | 11 | | Appointment of a guardian under this Section
requires | 12 | | approval of the court.
| 13 | | (b) The State's Attorney may file a motion to terminate | 14 | | parental rights of
any parent who has failed to make | 15 | | reasonable efforts to correct the conditions
which led to | 16 | | the removal of the child or reasonable progress toward the | 17 | | return
of the child, as defined in subdivision (D)(m) of | 18 | | Section 1 of the Adoption Act
or for whom any other | 19 | | unfitness ground for terminating parental rights as
| 20 | | defined in subdivision (D) of Section 1 of the Adoption Act | 21 | | exists. | 22 | | When parental rights have been terminated for a minimum | 23 | | of 3 years and the child who is the subject of the | 24 | | permanency hearing is 13 years old or older and is not | 25 | | currently placed in a placement likely to achieve | 26 | | permanency, the Department of
Children and Family Services |
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| 1 | | shall make reasonable efforts to locate parents whose | 2 | | rights have been terminated, except when the Court | 3 | | determines that those efforts would be futile or | 4 | | inconsistent with the subject child's best interests. The | 5 | | Department of
Children and Family Services shall assess the | 6 | | appropriateness of the parent whose rights have been | 7 | | terminated, and shall, as appropriate, foster and support | 8 | | connections between the parent whose rights have been | 9 | | terminated and the youth. The Department of
Children and | 10 | | Family Services shall document its determinations and | 11 | | efforts to foster connections in the child's case plan.
| 12 | | Custody of the minor shall not be restored to any parent, | 13 | | guardian or legal
custodian in any case in which the minor is | 14 | | found to be neglected or abused
under Section 2-3 or dependent | 15 | | under Section 2-4 of this Act, unless the
minor can be cared | 16 | | for at home
without endangering his or her health or safety and | 17 | | it is in the best
interest of the minor,
and if such neglect, | 18 | | abuse, or dependency is found by the court
under paragraph (1) | 19 | | of Section 2-21 of this Act to have come
about due to the acts | 20 | | or omissions or both of such parent, guardian or legal
| 21 | | custodian, until such time as an investigation is made as | 22 | | provided in
paragraph (5) and a hearing is held on the issue of | 23 | | the health,
safety and
best interest of the minor and the | 24 | | fitness of such
parent, guardian or legal custodian to care for | 25 | | the minor and the court
enters an order that such parent, | 26 | | guardian or legal custodian is fit to
care for the minor. In |
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| 1 | | the event that the minor has attained 18 years
of age and the | 2 | | guardian or custodian petitions the court for an order
| 3 | | terminating his guardianship or custody, guardianship or | 4 | | custody shall
terminate automatically 30 days after the receipt | 5 | | of the petition unless
the court orders otherwise. No legal | 6 | | custodian or guardian of the
person may be removed without his | 7 | | consent until given notice and an
opportunity to be heard by | 8 | | the court.
| 9 | | When the court orders a child restored to the custody of | 10 | | the parent or
parents, the court shall order the parent or | 11 | | parents to cooperate with the
Department of Children and Family | 12 | | Services and comply with the terms of an
after-care plan, or | 13 | | risk the loss of custody of the child and possible
termination | 14 | | of their parental rights. The court may also enter an order of
| 15 | | protective supervision in accordance with Section 2-24.
| 16 | | (5) Whenever a parent, guardian, or legal custodian files a | 17 | | motion for
restoration of custody of the minor, and the minor | 18 | | was adjudicated
neglected, abused, or dependent as a result of | 19 | | physical abuse,
the court shall cause to be
made an | 20 | | investigation as to whether the movant has ever been charged
| 21 | | with or convicted of any criminal offense which would indicate | 22 | | the
likelihood of any further physical abuse to the minor. | 23 | | Evidence of such
criminal convictions shall be taken into | 24 | | account in determining whether the
minor can be cared for at | 25 | | home without endangering his or her health or safety
and | 26 | | fitness of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
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| 1 | | (a) Any agency of this State or any subdivision thereof | 2 | | shall
co-operate with the agent of the court in providing | 3 | | any information
sought in the investigation.
| 4 | | (b) The information derived from the investigation and | 5 | | any
conclusions or recommendations derived from the | 6 | | information shall be
provided to the parent, guardian, or | 7 | | legal custodian seeking restoration
of custody prior to the | 8 | | hearing on fitness and the movant shall have
an opportunity | 9 | | at the hearing to refute the information or contest its
| 10 | | significance.
| 11 | | (c) All information obtained from any investigation | 12 | | shall be confidential
as provided in Section 5-150 of this | 13 | | Act.
| 14 | | (Source: P.A. 96-600, eff. 8-21-09; 96-1375, eff. 7-29-10; | 15 | | 97-425, eff. 8-16-11.)
| 16 | | Section 15. The Adoption Act is amended by changing Section | 17 | | 18.3 as follows:
| 18 | | (750 ILCS 50/18.3) (from Ch. 40, par. 1522.3)
| 19 | | Sec. 18.3. (a) The agency, Department of Children and | 20 | | Family Services,
Court Supportive Services, Juvenile Division | 21 | | of the Circuit Court, and any
other party to the
surrender of a | 22 | | child for adoption or in an adoption proceeding shall inform | 23 | | any birth parent or parents relinquishing a child for
purposes | 24 | | of
adoption after the effective date of this Act of the |
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| 1 | | opportunity to register with the Illinois Adoption Registry and | 2 | | Medical Information Exchange and to utilize the Illinois | 3 | | confidential intermediary program and shall obtain a written | 4 | | confirmation that acknowledges the birth parent's receipt of | 5 | | such information.
| 6 | | The birth parent shall be informed in writing that if | 7 | | contact or exchange of identifying
information with the adult | 8 | | adopted or surrendered person
is to occur, that adult adopted | 9 | | or surrendered person must be 21 years of age or
over except as | 10 | | referenced in paragraph (d) of this Section .
| 11 | | (b) Any birth parent, birth sibling,
adopted or surrendered | 12 | | person, adoptive parent, or legal
guardian indicating their | 13 | | desire to receive
identifying or medical information shall be | 14 | | informed
of the existence of the Registry and assistance shall | 15 | | be given to such
person to
legally
record his or her
name with | 16 | | the Registry.
| 17 | | (c) The agency, Department of Children and Family Services, | 18 | | Court
Supportive Services, Juvenile Division of the Circuit | 19 | | Court, and any other organization involved in the
surrender of | 20 | | a child for adoption in an adoption proceeding which has
| 21 | | written statements from an adopted or surrendered person and | 22 | | the birth
parent or a birth sibling indicating a desire to | 23 | | share
identifying information or establish contact shall | 24 | | supply such information to the mutually
consenting parties, | 25 | | except that no identifying information shall be
supplied to | 26 | | consenting birth siblings if any such sibling is
under 21
years |
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| 1 | | of age. However, both the Registry having an Information | 2 | | Exchange
Authorization and the organization having a written | 3 | | statement requesting the sharing of
identifying information or | 4 | | contact shall communicate with each other to determine if
the | 5 | | adopted or surrendered person or the
birth parent or
birth
| 6 | | sibling has signed a form at a later date indicating a change | 7 | | in his or
her desires regarding the sharing of information or | 8 | | contact.
| 9 | | (d) On and after January 1, 2000, any licensed child | 10 | | welfare agency which
provides post-adoption search assistance | 11 | | to adoptive parents, adopted persons,
surrendered persons,
| 12 | | birth parents, or other birth relatives shall require that any | 13 | | person requesting
post-adoption search assistance complete an | 14 | | Illinois Adoption Registry
Application prior to the | 15 | | commencement of the search. However, former wards of the | 16 | | Department of Children and Family Services between the ages of | 17 | | 18 and 21 who have been surrendered or adopted shall not be | 18 | | required to complete an Illinois Adoption Registry Application | 19 | | prior to commencement of the search.
| 20 | | (Source: P.A. 96-895, eff. 5-21-10.)
| 21 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | 22 | | becoming law.
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