Sec. 2-27.3. Ongoing family finding and relative engagement.

643 words·~3 min read·/il/chapter-705/act-405/2-27-3

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(a)(1) The Department shall make ongoing diligent efforts, to the fullest extent consistent with the minor's best interest, to engage in ongoing family finding and relative engagement for the purposes of:

(A)establishing and supporting lifelong connections for the minor by building a network

of sustainable and supportive relationships that allow the minor to experience a sense of belonging through enduring, life-long relationships with family, extended family, and other caring adults; and

(B)for minors who are not in a placement likely to achieve permanency, identifying

relatives who may be willing and able to care for the minor and provide permanency for the minor.

Efforts to identify, locate, and engage relatives to assist in supporting and establishing lifelong connections for the minor are required, consistent with the best interests of the minor, even if the minor is placed with a relative, recognizing it may be in the minor's best interest to maintain connections with different relatives, and a relative's capacity to provide connection and support, may change over time.

(2)The Department shall provide a report to the court, as part of the reporting requirement under Section 2-10.1, not later than 45 days after a minor is placed in the Department's custody, and with each case plan submitted to the court thereafter, describing the Department's efforts, to identify, locate, and engage relatives in a manner consistent with the minor's best interest. The initial and subsequent reports shall include:

(A)a list of contacts made and the outcome of each contact;

(B)for minors requiring placement in a home environment or a home likely to achieve

permanency, the report shall specify which identified relatives have been evaluated as placement options, including assessment as a certified relative caregiver home under Section 3.4 of the Child Care Act of 1969, and the diligent efforts the Department is undertaking to remove barriers to placement, if applicable, with one or more relatives or certified relative caregivers. If the Department determines placement with an identified relative willing to serve as a caregiver for the minor is not in the minor's best interest, the Department shall include its rationale in the report; and

(C)consistent with the minor's best interest, the manner in which the relative or

person may be engaged with the minor. Engagement may include, but is not limited to, in person visitation, virtual visitation, telephone contact, supervising visits between the minor and a parent or sibling, assisting with transportation, providing respite care and providing placement. If the Department determines an identified relative's engagement with the minor is not in the minor's best interest, the Department shall include its rationale in the report.

(3)Ongoing family finding and relative engagement efforts shall continue until excused in whole or in part by the court. The court may order that further efforts to locate and engage relatives are futile based on efforts already made, or that efforts to identify, locate, or engage a specified person or persons is not in the minor's best interests. If a court finds that family finding and relative engagement efforts should cease, the court shall enter an order in writing. An order entered under this Section shall include specific factual findings supporting the court's decision. The Department may resume family finding and relative engagement efforts after an order excusing such efforts has been entered, if the court determines resuming such efforts are in the minor's best interest.

(4)Within 30 days of

(i)an unknown parent's identity being determined or

(ii)a parent's whereabouts becoming known for the first time, the Department shall complete family finding and relative engagement efforts in accordance with paragraph (2.5) of Section 2-10.

(b)Nothing in this Section shall be construed to create a legally enforceable right on behalf of any relative or person to placement, visitation, or engagement with the minor.