MFAPA News

News Alert - Child Placement Information

Brinks & Associates, legal counsel to the MFAPA, has received many reports that children are still being placed with families without the background information that is needed to do the best job possible as foster families.

In 1995, a law became effective in Michigan requiring child-placing agencies to give foster parents written information about the children before placing them in a home. The law (MCLA 722.954) states as follows:

Before placing a child with foster parents, a child placing agency shall provide the foster parents with written information including all of the following:

(a) Any history of abuse or neglect of the child.
(b) All known emotional and psychological problems of the child.
(c) All behavior problems of the child that might present any risk to the foster family.
(d) Any other information necessary to enable the foster family to provide a stable, safe, and healthy environment for the foster child and for other members of the foster family.

Many Michigan Foster Parents still receive calls asking them to take in a child on an immediate or urgent basis, without being given the information required by law about the child. This should be the exception, not the rule.

If that happens to you, we recommend that you request in writing that the agency provide (in writing) the information the law requires within a week to ten days from the date of placement. We also recommend that you get the name and address of the child's attorney/guardian ad litem when the placement occurs and send that lawyer a copy of the letter asking the agency for the information.

Please remember that information received about the child and the child's family is confidential.

Please contact Sharon R. Brinks at BRINKS & ASSOCIATES at (616) 656-1090 if you have any questions.

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