SAN DIEGO — A new bill passed by both the California State Senate and Assembly seeks to prioritize placing foster children with qualified relatives instead of in the general foster care system. Assembly Bill 562, also known as the “Justice Through Placing Foster Children with Families Act,” requires child welfare agencies to search for and identify extended family members who can care for children removed from their parents’ care within 30 days.
“I think families should always be the first option and not an afterthought,” said Caitlin Radigan, a member of California Youth Connection, a statewide non-profit co-sponsoring the bill.
The legislation aims to improve outcomes for foster children by placing them in more familiar settings. Research has shown that children placed with stable family members fare better than those in the general foster care system…