Prohibits a finding of educational neglect based solely on excessive absence from school in certain situations during the COVID-19 state of emergency, and requires the closure of investigations into claims of educational neglect when the child has not been provided with the resources or opportunity to participate in distance learning during the COVID-19 state of emergency or when the child's parent or caregiver is an essential worker, the fact that the child's parent or guardian is an essential worker, is caring for someone with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), is sick with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), or is in mandatory isolation or quarantine.
Relates to orders of protection expiration dates and the duration of temporary orders of protection in juvenile delinquency cases; requires expiration dates for orders of protection under certain articles of the family court act to be plainly stated; provides that a temporary order of protection in juvenile delinquency cases may remain in effect for an initial period of up to thirty days and may be extended by the court for good cause, upon notice to the juvenile; provides that the juvenile has a right to counsel upon the extension of the order of protection.
Allows for child protective services workers to complete the required training on the fundamentals of child protection through distance learning methods beginning April 1, 2025.
Provides that in the event child protective services receives a duplicate report on an open case that has not been founded, indicated or referred to services, such duplicate report shall merge with the open case and remain open an additional thirty days for further investigation.
Authorizes child care assistance to be made available to certain victims of domestic violence who are in need of assistance in order for a parent or caretaker relative to engage in work or participate in work activities.
Directs the office of children and family services to develop and post a list of eligible substitute day care staff who can be used by a child day care provider in a time of need.
Relates to the confidentiality and expungement of records in juvenile delinquency cases in the family court; requires certain records to be expunged automatically.
Relates to care and protection of children; adds to the definition of children at risk infants who test positive for a controlled substance not prescribed by a physician, in their bloodstream or urine, are born dependent on such drugs or who demonstrate drug withdrawal symptoms, or who have been diagnosed with a condition attributable to in utero exposure to illegal drugs.
Modifies the existing exemption from requiring a determination of what constitutes prima facie evidence of neglect where a parent or guardian engages in substance abuse or substantial manifestation of irrationality but is voluntarily and regularly participating in a recognized rehabilitative program so as to require the parent or guardian to have voluntarily participated in and to have successfully completed such a program and to have been verifiably rehabilitated for an uninterrupted period of one year immediately prior to the hearing date, before such exemption applies.
Relates to window coverings required in child day care centers; requires child day care centers to ensure that all window and door blind cords, ropes, wires and other strangulation hazards are secured and inaccessible to children in accordance with the regulations of the office of children and family services.
Requires a caller making a report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment to the central registry to leave their name and contact information; prohibits the office of children and family services from releasing information identifying a person who made such a report.
Requires an arresting authority to notify the local social services district when the parent, legal guardian or care-giver of a minor is arrested or taken into custody; requires the local social services district to monitor the placement of such minor.