Finding a Safe Home for the Child
Child placement review hearings are review hearings wherein a child’s living arrangement is evaluated once he has been placed into foster care. More specifically, the review board can make the following determinations in child welfare cases:
- Whether the child’s current placement is safe and appropriate for his or her needs
- Whether the agency has met its requirement to seek out and assess relatives for placement
- Whether the case safety plan is working (i.e. whether the plan provided by the state is keeping the child safe and meeting his or her needs)
- Whether the parents or guardians are complying with the case plan
- The progress, if any, the parents or guardians have made under the plan, and
- Where a child can live that is safe and appropriate for his or her needs
In child welfare cases, these hearings are held within 45 days of the initial placement, and upon request, may periodically occur to ensure the child’s current placement is still safe and the child’s needs are being met appropriately. After the board reviews the agency’s initial placement decision and makes a determination, the court may revisit a determination on placement and potentially overrule the agency’s placement decision.
The ideal outcome of a child placement review hearing is that reunification of a child with his or her parent or parents is recommended. The outcome of a child placement review hearing will be whatever is in the best interests of the child, as determined by the child placement review board. Because many factors need to be considered, such as any special needs the child has or the availability of relatives who can act as guardians, the outcome of these hearings can have the impact of persuading the judge presiding over the case to change the placement decision.
If you have questions about a child placement review hearing, you should speak with an attorney. A knowledgeable New Jersey child welfare attorney can help you navigate the placement review process and prepare you for the hearing. With your child’s safety and well-being at stake, it is crucial to have an advocate on your side who knows how the New Jersey child welfare system works. An attorney can help ensure the hearing outcome is in your child’s best interests while still protecting your rights.
If you have questions about child placement review hearings, Williams Law Group, LLC is here to help. The experienced attorneys at Williams Law Group, LLC can help you with your child welfare case, making sure your child’s best interests are protected. Located in Union, New Jersey, Williams Law Group, LLC provides compassionate and dedicated legal services to Union, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Monmouth, and Middlesex counties, and the surrounding areas. Our knowledgeable attorneys handle divorce and family law, child custody, and child abuse/neglect cases. Call our office at (908) 810-1083, email us at info@awilliamslawgroup.com, or contact us through our confidential online form to schedule a consultation and ultimately get you connected with an experienced New Jersey divorce and child custody attorney
