Foster children: rights of foster youth.

Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various settings and governs the provision of child welfare services, which is defined to mean public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of specified purposes, including protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families, and restoring to their families children who have been removed. Existing law provides that it is the policy of the state that all minors and nonminors in foster care have specified rights, including, among others, the right to have storage space for private use, the right to be free from unreasonable searches of personal belongings, the right to be informed of these rights in an age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate manner, and the right to receive a copy of these rights, at specified intervals.

Under this bill, the foster youth would have an additional right to have their personal belongings transported during placement changes and other moves in a manner preserving the youth's property and dignity, including the use of suitcases, duffel bags, backpacks, and moving boxes rather than trash bags or other inappropriate receptacles. The bill would also include the right to maintain reasonable access to and use of personal belongings, clothing, and personal items.