43-4702. Legislative findings and intent.

The Legislature finds that every day a parent makes important decisions about his or her child’s participation in activities and that a caregiver for a child in out-of-home care is faced with making the same decisions for a child in his or her care.

The Legislature also finds that, when a caregiver makes decisions, he or she must consider applicable laws, rules, and regulations to safeguard the health and safety of a child in out-of-home care and that those laws, rules, and regulations have commonly been interpreted to prohibit children in out-of-home care from participating in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities.

The Legislature further finds that participation in these types of activities is important to a child’s well-being, not only emotionally, but in developing valuable life skills.

It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize the importance of parental rights and the different rights that exist dependent on a variety of factors, including the age and maturity of the child, the status of the case, and the child’s placement.

It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize the importance of race, culture, and identity for children in out-of-home care.

It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize the importance of making every effort to normalize the lives of children in out-of-home care and to empower a caregiver to approve or disapprove a child’s participation in activities based on the caregiver’s own assessment using a reasonable and prudent parent standard.

It is the intent of the Legislature to implement the federal Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act, Public Law 113-183, as such act existed on January 1, 2016.

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