Idaho Child Protection Manual

[Pages:279]Idaho Child Protection Manual

A practical guide for judges and attorneys

Fifth Edition

The Supreme Court of the State of Idaho Administrative Office of the Court 2018

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The 2018 Fifth Edition of the Idaho Supreme Court Child Protection Committee's "Idaho Child Protection Manual" began as a response to new state and federal child welfare laws passed over the last three years. It turned into a broader opportunity to further strengthen and enhance this valuable resource for judges and attorneys.

We extend a special thank you to the University Of Idaho College Of Law's James E. Wilson Distinguished Professor and Faculty Secretary, Elizabeth B. Brandt; Senior Judge Lynne Krogh; Judge Andrew Ellis, Ada County Magistrate; and Alana Minton, Lead Deputy Attorney General, Health and Human Services Division, Idaho Office of the Attorney General, for generously contributing their time and expertise to review and revise the bulk of the Manual.

We also thank Judge Bryan Murray, Chair of the Idaho Supreme Court Child Projection Committee and Debra Alsaker-Burke, Statewide Child Protection Manager, for their contributions to the manual, their leadership and guidance of the overall project, and for their ongoing dedication to the children of Idaho.

With so many new changes regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act, we are extremely grateful to Jack F. Trope, Senior Director of Indian Child Welfare, Casey Family Programs; Julie Kane, Managing Attorney for the Nez Perce Tribe; Jackie McArthur, Social Services Manager, Nez Perce Tribe; and Nicole Shackelford, LSW, Child Welfare Program Specialist, ICWA, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, for their thoughtful review of and comments regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act chapter in the Manual.

We would like to express our great appreciation to Kendall Prohaska, student at the University of Idaho College of Law, who was tasked with the daunting challenge of cite checking the Manual.

To Kyme Graziano we say thank you for your editing expertise under a tight timeline.

Finally, we extend a very special thank you to Jana L. Filer, CAP, OM, for her administrative support of this project. Jana transcribed our thoughts and comments in every meeting and wove the revisions from many sources into the final formatted version of the Manual.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................................ 1 1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS MANUAL........................................................................................1 1.2 KEY PRINCIPLES GUIDING CHILD PROTECTION CASES IN IDAHO..............1 1.3 ORGANIZATION OF THIS MANUAL ..........................................................................4 1.4 IDAHO CHILD PROTECTIVE ACT FLOW CHART AND TIMELINES ................6

CHAPTER 2: REFERRAL AND ASSESSMENT.................................................................... 9 2.1 REFERRALS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT .............................................................9 A. Mandatory Reporting.................................................................................................... 9 B. Other Sources of Child Protective Reports................................................................. 10 C. Response to Referrals ................................................................................................. 10 D. Multi-Disciplinary Teams........................................................................................... 12 2.2 ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................................14 A. Risk and Safety ........................................................................................................... 14 B. Assessment of Child Safety ........................................................................................ 14 C. Safety Plan Analysis: In-Home versus Out-of-Home Safety Plan ............................. 19

CHAPTER 3: INITIATING A CHILD PROTECTIVE ACT CASE................................... 21 3.1 INITIATING A CHILD PROTECTION CASE............................................................21 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 21 B. Removal...................................................................................................................... 22 3.2 EVALUATING A POSSIBLE CPA CASE ....................................................................26 3.3 FILING A CHILD PROTECTION CASE.....................................................................28 A. Petition........................................................................................................................ 28 B. Summons .................................................................................................................... 30 C. Supporting Affidavit(s)............................................................................................... 30

CURRENT UPDATES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT: ISC.CHILD-PROTECTION/RESOURCE

LAST REVISED: MAY, 2018

3.4 NOTICE AND SERVICE OF PROCESS ......................................................................31 A. Manner of Service ...................................................................................................... 31 B. Persons to be Served ................................................................................................... 32 C. Notice to the Child's Tribe, Parents, or Indian Custodian(s) ..................................... 32

3.5 FACTS SUPPORTING THE FILING OF A CPA CASE ............................................33 A. Jurisdiction.................................................................................................................. 33 B. Aggravated Circumstances ......................................................................................... 36

3.6 ICWA CONSIDERATIONS............................................................................................37

CHAPTER 4: SHELTER CARE ............................................................................................. 39 4.1 PURPOSE AND GOALS OF THE SHELTER CARE HEARING .............................39 4.2 PROCEDURAL CONSIDERATIONS AT THE SHELTER CARE HEARING ......40 A. Timing ........................................................................................................................ 40 B. Evidentiary Considerations......................................................................................... 40 C. Exclusive Jurisdiction/Ongoing Duty to Disclose...................................................... 40 D. Who Should Be Present at the Shelter Care Hearing ................................................. 40 E. Persons Whose Presence May also be Needed at the Shelter Care Hearing .............. 43 4.3 KEY FINDINGS AT SHELTER CARE HEARINGS ..................................................45 A. Petition........................................................................................................................ 45 B. Jurisdiction.................................................................................................................. 46 C. Contrary to the Welfare/Best Interests ....................................................................... 46 D. Reasonable Efforts to Eliminate the Need for Shelter Care ....................................... 49 4.4 PARENT HAVING JOINT LEGAL OR PHYSICAL CUSTODY .............................50 4.5 PROTECTIVE ORDER...................................................................................................51 4.6 PLACEMENT CONSIDERATIONS..............................................................................51 4.7 INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT (ICWA) ..................................................................53 4.8 ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................54 A. Examinations, Evaluations, or Immediate Services ................................................... 54 B. Parental Visitation ...................................................................................................... 54

CURRENT UPDATES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT: ISC.CHILD-PROTECTION/RESOURCE

LAST REVISED: MAY, 2018

C. Maintaining the Child's Connections to the Community, Sibling Relationships and Educational Stability ............................................................................................................. 54 D. Child Support.............................................................................................................. 55 4.9 ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AT THE SHELTER CARE HEARING......................55 A. Serving the Parties with a Copy of the Petition.......................................................... 55 B. Advising Parties of their Rights.................................................................................. 55 C. The Time and Date for the Next Hearing and any Orders Needed to Prepare for the Next Hearing ......................................................................................................................... 56 D. Agreements by the Parties .......................................................................................... 57

CHAPTER 5: THE ADJUDICATORY HEARING............................................................... 59 5.1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................59 5.2 TIMING OF THE ADJUDICATORY HEARING AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCE59 5.3 SUBMISSION OF REPORTS TO THE COURT .........................................................60 5.4 AGREEMENTS BY THE PARTIES..............................................................................61 5.5 EVIDENTIARY ISSUES AT THE ADJUDICATORY HEARING............................62 5.6 INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT CONSIDERATIONS............................................62 5.7 WHO SHOULD BE PRESENT.......................................................................................63 5.8 WITNESSES .....................................................................................................................63 A. In General ................................................................................................................... 63

B. Child Witnesses .......................................................................................................... 64

5.9 KEY DECISIONS THE COURT SHOULD MAKE AT THE ADJUDICATORY HEARING ................................................................................................................................64

A. Phase 1: Adjudication ................................................................................................ 64

B. Phase 2: Disposition .................................................................................................. 68

5.10 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.......................................................................................72 A. Role of the Court in Reviewing the Placement Decision ........................................... 72

B. Maintaining the Child's Connections to the Community, Sibling Relationships and Educational Stability ............................................................................................................. 74

C. Psychotropic Medications........................................................................................... 74

CURRENT UPDATES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT: ISC.CHILD-PROTECTION/RESOURCE

LAST REVISED: MAY, 2018

D. Services Provided by the Department ........................................................................ 75 E. Timing of the Case Plan or Permanency Hearing ...................................................... 76

5.11 THE COURT'S WRITTEN FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AT THE ADJUDICATORY HEARING ...............................................................................76

CHAPTER 6: THE CASE PLAN AND THE CASE PLAN HEARING .............................. 79 6.1 THE CASE PLAN..............................................................................................................79 A. Contents of the Case Plan ........................................................................................... 79 B. The Alternate Care Plan ............................................................................................. 84 6.2 GOALS AND ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE CASE PLANNING FROM A SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE .........................................................................................85 A. The Case Planning Process......................................................................................... 85 B. Family Participation in Case Planning ....................................................................... 86 6.3 THE CASE PLAN HEARING ........................................................................................87 A. Purpose of the Case Plan Hearing .............................................................................. 87 B. Timing of the Hearing ................................................................................................ 87 C. Submission of the Case Plan to the Court .................................................................. 87 D. Notice.......................................................................................................................... 87 6.4 KEY DECISIONS THE COURT SHOULD MAKE AT THE CASE PLAN HEARING ................................................................................................................................89 A. Approval of the Case Plan .......................................................................................... 89 B. ICWA.......................................................................................................................... 90 C. Deadlines .................................................................................................................... 91 D. Other Important Considerations ................................................................................. 92 E. Further Orders............................................................................................................. 92 6.5 BEST PRACTICES TO REDUCE DELAYS AND TO ACHIEVE TIMELY PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN AT AND BEFORE THE CASE PLAN HEARING 93 A. Early Identification and Involvement of Absent Parents............................................ 93 B. Early Identification and Involvement of Relatives..................................................... 93

CURRENT UPDATES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT: ISC.CHILD-PROTECTION/RESOURCE

LAST REVISED: MAY, 2018

C. Compliance with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) ....... 94

CHAPTER 7: THE PERMANENCY PLAN AND PERMANENCY HEARING ............... 95 7.1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................95 7.2 THE PERMANENCY PLAN ..........................................................................................96 A. Goals ........................................................................................................................... 96 B. Required Contents of Permanency Plans.................................................................... 99 7.3 THE PERMANENCY HEARING ................................................................................103 A. Timing of the Hearing .............................................................................................. 103 B. Submission of the Permanency Plan and Guardian ad Litem Reports to the Court . 104 C. Notice........................................................................................................................ 104 D. Agreement by the Parties.......................................................................................... 105 7.4 REASONABLE EFFORTS TO FINALIZE PERMANENCY...................................106 7.5 OTHER KEY FINDINGS AT THE PERMANENCY HEARING ............................107 A. Approval of the Permanency Plan ............................................................................ 107 B. ICWA........................................................................................................................ 107 C. APPLA...................................................................................................................... 108 7.6 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS AT THE PERMANENCY HEARING.....................108 A. Sibling Placement ..................................................................................................... 108 B. Educational Stability................................................................................................. 109 C. Placement.................................................................................................................. 109 D. Engagement of Youth ............................................................................................... 110 E. Psychotropic Medication .......................................................................................... 111 F. Visitation .................................................................................................................. 111 G. Suspending Reasonable Efforts to Reunify .............................................................. 111 H. Department's Duty to Seek Termination of Parental Rights .................................... 112 I. Time and Date for the Next Hearing; Orders Needed.................................................. 112

CURRENT UPDATES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT: ISC.CHILD-PROTECTION/RESOURCE

LAST REVISED: MAY, 2018

J. Subsequent Permanency Hearings ............................................................................... 112

CHAPTER 8: REVIEW HEARINGS.................................................................................... 115 8.1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................115 8.2 TIMING OF SIX-MONTH REVIEW HEARINGS ....................................................118 8.3 SUBMISSION OF REPORTS TO THE COURT .......................................................119 8.4 KEY DECISIONS AT THE SIX-MONTH REVIEW HEARING ............................119 A. Can the Child be Safely Returned Home Today?..................................................... 119 B. Is the Child an Indian Child? .................................................................................... 120 C. Is the Child in an Appropriate Foster Care Placement that Bests Meets Her or His Needs? ................................................................................................................................. 121 D. Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) ................................... 122 E. What Services are Being Provided to Meet the Child's Needs? .............................. 123 F. Is Child Support Appropriate?.................................................................................. 125 G. Are Children Engaged in their Proceedings? ........................................................... 125 H. Are the Foster Parents Engaged in the Proceedings? ............................................... 127 I. Have the Parents Complied with the Case Plan? ......................................................... 127 J. Is the Department Making Reasonable Efforts? .......................................................... 128 8.5 POST-PERMANENCY REVIEW ................................................................................129 8.6 ADDITIONAL MATTERS THE COURT SHOULD CONSIDER ...........................129 A. Are Any Additional Court Orders Necessary to Move the Case Toward Successful Completion? ........................................................................................................................ 129 B. Has the Time and Date for the Next Hearing Been Set; Are Any Orders Needed to Prepare for the Next Hearing? ............................................................................................ 130 8.7 AGREEMENTS BY THE PARTIES............................................................................130 8.8 THE COURT'S WRITTEN FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, AND ORDER AT THE REVIEW HEARING....................................................................130

CHAPTER 9: TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS ............................................... 133

CURRENT UPDATES CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT: ISC.CHILD-PROTECTION/RESOURCE

LAST REVISED: MAY, 2018

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