NCALP Weekly News Summary

July 31, 2013

If you are unable to access the links on this page click here. Follow us: FOSTER CARE NORTH CAROLINA: “Governor Signs Bill of Rights for Foster Children into Law” BY: Erica Bryant North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed new legislation, called a Bill of Rights for Foster Children, into law. The legislation aims to better protect foster children across the state as some foster programs in the state were not meeting federal standards. Due to mismanaged funds, children were being bounced between dozens of temporary homes and given immunizations without parental consent. This Bill of Rights is working to address all these issues and take additional steps to make sure the state has the resources to protect these foster children. wsoctv.com, July 23rd, 2013 For Full Article Click Here FOSTER CARE SOUTH CAROLINA: “Grandparents’ Rights Provide Children with Alternative to Foster Care” BY: Frances Parrish The Grandparents Rights Association of South Carolina (GRASC) was founded four years ago by John Schafer after he lost his rights to care for his grandchildren when they entered the state’s custody. GRASC is dedicated to protecting the rights of grandparents and grandchildren. The organization introduced a bill in the South Carolina legislature that would encourage family courts to give custody to the grandparents or another relative in the case of the termination of parental rights. The bill, H3464, was signed into law last month. Schafer hopes to expand GRASC to all fifty states, aiming to make things better for all grandparents and grandchildren. The Easley Progress, July 22nd, 2013 For Full Article Click Here ADOPTION SOUTH CAROLINA: “South Carolina Court Denies Rehearing in Baby Veronica Case, Orders Adoption Finalized” BY: Russell Hulstine The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a request to reconsider its July 17 order in the “Baby Veronica” case, instead directing the family court to finalize Veronica’s adoption by the Capobiancos. The court stated its decision was based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that the Indian Child Welfare Act does not apply to the case. Baby Veronica will be transferred back to South Carolina once the details are worked out. Both the National Congress of American Indians and the Cherokee Nation have released statements displaying their great sadness and disappointment in the ruling. Newson6.com, July 24th, 2013 For Full Article Click Here FOSTER CARE/Kinship Care CALIFORNIA: “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Often Lack Financial Support They Need” BY: Brenda Gazzar More than 300,000 grandparents in California have primary responsibility for their grandchildren, with nearly 65,000 of them being aged 65 or older. Twenty-thousand of those older grandparents care for their grandchildren without any other family member present. With the number of people in this age group projected to double in the next 30 years, it is likely that the number of grandparents raising grandchildren will increase at a similar rate or greater. Unfortunately, nearly half of the state’s custodial older grandparents do not have enough income to cover their grandchildren’s most basic needs and public assistance programs are unavailable to family caregivers. San Bernadino Sun, July 17th, 2013 For Full Article Click Here The preceding are summaries of adoption/child welfare law news articles prepared by The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy. These summaries are provided for your information only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center. We strive to print news that reflects the diversity of our readership and a variety of viewpoints and approaches to child welfare issues. While we may not agree with a position taken, we believe in the critical importance to our constituents of impartial reporting.