All County Letter Re Notification to Relatives
The California Department of Social Services has issued an All County Letter (ACL) 09-86 concerning relative notification procedures required by AB 938, which YLC supported. ACL 09-86 advises counties of the requirements of AB 938 and P.L. 110-351, the federal Fostering Connections and Improving Adoptions Act, to provide notification to relatives of children being placed in out-of-home care. Counties must exercise due diligence to identify and locate all grandparents, adult siblings and other adult relatives, including those suggested by the parents, and obtaining information regarding the location of the child’s adult relatives. Due diligence efforts also include asking the child in an age-appropriate manner about relatives who are important to the child.