U.S. Senate must fix foster care reform bill

U.S. Senate must fix foster care reform bill - San Francisco Chronicle:

Years of painstaking reforms have gone into California’s foster care system. One of the major victories of this reform has been the California Continuum of Care act, enacted in October 2015 to increase standards of care for foster children, add support for their caregivers, and reduce the number of children held in group home placements.

Cape couple charged with abuse of foster, adopted children

Cape couple charged with abuse of foster, adopted children - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida:

CAPE CORAL -

A 47-year-old Cape Coral man faces multiple charges in connection with alleged abuse of foster and adopted children at a SE 11th Place home. Daniel Spurgeon was arrested Monday, one day after Cape police responded to a KFC on Del Prado Boulevard at which three juveniles -- aged 16, 13 and 13 -- were reported intoxicated.

Judge denies request to dismiss case against social workers in child abuse case

Judge denies request to dismiss case against social workers in child abuse case:
Four county workers sought to have charges against them dismissed in connection with the beating and torture death of 8-year-old Palmdale boy Gabriel Fernandez. 

LOS ANGELES    A judge has rejected arguments to dismiss charges against two former Los Angeles County social workers and their supervisors, charged with child abuse and falsifying records that resulted from the death of an 8-year-old Palmdale boy.

Nonprofit admits more children in state care were forced to sleep in offices than previously acknowledged

Nonprofit admits more children in state care were forced to sleep in offices than previously acknowledged | Tampa Bay Times:

TAMPA — Air mattresses placed on office floors served as make-do sleeping quarters for dozens of Hillsborough County foster children, a crisis that the contractor responsible for taking care of the children repeatedly failed to report to the state.

Marijuana use not grounds for termination of parental rights

Marijuana use not grounds for termination of parental rights | Missouri Divorce & Family Law Blog:

Recent Case: Marijuana use under the level of chemical dependency not grounds for termination of parental rights. Father appeals from the judgment terminating his parental rights. Grounds for termination of parental rights require clear and convincing evidence, so Court of Appeals examines evidence contrary to judgment.  Grounds include abuse or neglect and failure to rectify.  In this case there was not substantial evidence to support the trial court’s finding that Father’s marijuana use constituted a “chemical dependency” as defined in Section 211.447.5(2)(b) or Section 211.447.5(3)(d). Therefore, that condition cannot support termination on grounds of either abuse and neglect or failure to rectify.

Lawsuit: Worker for state contractor sexually coerced mother seeking to get back children | CJOnline.com

Lawsuit: Worker for state contractor sexually coerced mother seeking to get back children | CJOnline.com:

A caseworker for a Kansas foster care and family preservation contractor sexually harassed and coerced a mother seeking to regain custody of her children, forcing her to send him sexually-charged messages and photos, a new federal lawsuit alleges.

Gov. Raimondo vetoes grandparent adoption bill

Gov. Raimondo vetoes grandparent adoption bill - ABC6 - Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather:

Rhode Island's governor has vetoed a bill that would have allowed grandparents who have custody of a child to petition to terminate the rights of a parent without that person's consent.