| 1 | 1 | | 23 LC 112 1746 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Resolution 24EX |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representative Jones of the 60 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A RESOLUTION |
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| 7 | 7 | | Commending children in foster care; and for other purposes. |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1 |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, even more than for other children, society has a responsibility, along with2 |
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| 10 | 10 | | parents, for the well-being of children in foster care. Citizens are responsible for acting to3 |
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| 11 | 11 | | ensure their welfare; and4 |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care is endowed with the rights inherently belonging to all5 |
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| 13 | 13 | | children. In addition, because of the temporary or permanent separation from, and loss of,6 |
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| 14 | 14 | | parents and other family members, the child requires special safeguards, resources, and care;7 |
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| 15 | 15 | | and8 |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to be cherished by a family of9 |
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| 17 | 17 | | his own, either his family helped by readily available services and supports to resume his10 |
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| 18 | 18 | | care, or an adoptive family or, by plan, a continuing foster family; and11 |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to be nurtured by foster parents12 |
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| 20 | 20 | | who have been selected to meet his individual needs and who are provided services and13 |
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| 21 | 21 | | supports, including specialized education, so that they can grow in their ability to enable the14 |
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| 22 | 22 | | child to reach his potentiality; and15 |
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| 23 | 23 | | H. R. 24EX |
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| 24 | 24 | | - 1 - 23 LC 112 1746 |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to receive sensitive, continuing |
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| 26 | 26 | | 16 |
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| 27 | 27 | | help in understanding and accepting the reasons for his own family's inability to take care of17 |
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| 28 | 28 | | him, and in developing confidence in his own self worth; and18 |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to receive continuing loving care19 |
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| 30 | 30 | | and respect as a unique human being, a child growing in trust in himself and others; and20 |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to grow up in freedom and21 |
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| 32 | 32 | | dignity in a neighborhood of people who accept him with understanding, respect, and22 |
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| 33 | 33 | | friendship; and23 |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to receive help in overcoming24 |
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| 35 | 35 | | deprivation or whatever distortion in his emotional, physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual25 |
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| 36 | 36 | | growth may have resulted from his early experiences; and26 |
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| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to receive education, training,27 |
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| 38 | 38 | | and career guidance to prepare for a useful and satisfying life; and28 |
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| 39 | 39 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to receive preparation for29 |
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| 40 | 40 | | citizenship and parenthood through interaction with foster parents and other adults who are30 |
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| 41 | 41 | | consistent role models; and31 |
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| 42 | 42 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to be represented by an32 |
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| 43 | 43 | | attorney-at-law in administrative or judicial proceedings with access to fair hearings and33 |
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| 44 | 44 | | court review of decisions so that his best interests are safeguarded; and34 |
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| 45 | 45 | | H. R. 24EX |
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| 46 | 46 | | - 2 - 23 LC 112 1746 |
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| 47 | 47 | | WHEREAS, every child in foster care has the inherent right to receive a high quality of child |
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| 48 | 48 | | 35 |
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| 49 | 49 | | welfare services, including involvement of the natural parents and his own involvement in36 |
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| 50 | 50 | | major decisions that affect his life.37 |
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| 51 | 51 | | NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that38 |
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| 52 | 52 | | the members of this body commend the aforementioned rights of foster children.39 |
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| 53 | 53 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized40 |
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| 54 | 54 | | and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the41 |
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| 55 | 55 | | public and the press.42 |
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| 56 | 56 | | H. R. 24EX |
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| 57 | 57 | | - 3 - |
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