Steven's bills help kids thrive in foster care

February 5, 2009

OLYMPIA…Too often, Washington’s foster care children remain in the system for years, moving with heartbreaking frequency. Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, announced she is introducing two bills designed to help foster children get the care and stability they need. 

“The more children are moved from family to family, the more they conclude that families are not forever and adults are not to be trusted,” Stevens said. “My bills direct the Department of Social and Health Services to make changes to the foster care system so that it protects the child’s relationships and feelings of security.” 

Senate Bill 5510 would require strongly worded parental notifications, alerting both parents of a child placed in foster care that their child needs them to re-engage in their life as soon as possible – and that failing to re-engage could cost them their parental rights.  

“Currently, notices are sent to parents at the start of foster care, then after six months and after 15 months,” Stevens said. “These notices are often ignored. Then, after a couple of years, parents will get a notice of the intention to terminate parental rights and suddenly decide they want their child back. By that time, the child is usually strongly bonded with the foster family and removing the child is extremely painful. We want parents to get serious about getting their child back immediately – not two or three years down the road.”  

If a child must be returned to the foster system after being removed, Senate Bill 5431 would direct the Department of Social and Health Services to return the child to the original foster family, if at all possible.  

“The tragic story of Doug and AnnMarie Stuth shows the heartbreaking results of ripping a child from the home they know and love,” Stevens said. “DSHS insisted on moving the child to another foster home rather than returning her to the grandparents who had raised her for 18 months. This bill requires the state to first find a relative or if that’s impossible, return the child to the original foster family where bonds are already formed.  We need DSHS to quit playing politics and make more decisions in the best interests of our children.”

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Sen. Stevens represents the 39th Legislative District,
which includes part of rural King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties.

For more information contact Pat Albright
at (360) 786-7519 or albright.pat@leg.wa.gov^.