Stevens’ foster care bills signed into law

May 14, 2009

OLYMPIA…Starting this summer Washington’s foster children will have a better chance at a permanent, loving home and greater stability thanks to Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, whose foster care notification and placement bills were signed into law today. 

Substitute Senate Bill 5510 will require the foster care system to send strongly worded  notifications, urging the parents of a child placed in foster care to re-engage in their child’s life as soon as possible – and that failing to do so could cost them their parental rights.  

“We’ve made it too easy for parents to ignore these notices, and their children languish in the system for years,” Stevens said. “Finally, when the parents get the notice that their parental rights will be terminated, suddenly they decide they want their child back. By that time, the child is strongly bonded with the foster family, so an attempt to change that is heartbreaking for both. We want parents to get serious about getting their child back immediately – not years down the road.”  

If a child must be returned to the foster care system after being removed, Senate Bill 5431 would require the Department of Social and Health Services to return the child to the original foster family if at all possible, thus preserving the relationship that has already been established.  

“It’s very sad to see children in the foster care system who have been moved repeatedly,” Stevens said. “They feel rootless and unwanted. They’ve concluded that families are not forever and that adults should not be trusted. My bill will help protect the child’s relationships and promote feelings of security.”

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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^.