LAPP provides San Mateo County Self-Help Information Toolkits and trainings for San Mateo County foster and kinship families, San Mateo County Children and Family Services, Child Advocates of Santa Clara and San Mateo County, the San Mateo County Private Defender’s Panel, the San Mateo County Juvenile Court, and other community partners.
LAPP’s Toolkits provide “plain language” legal and practice information on a wide range of issues affecting foster, kinship, and adoptive families and their child welfare partners in LAPP’s home county of San Mateo County, California. For information on obtaining copies of San Mateo County Self-Help Information Toolkits, contact LAPP at info@LAPPonline.org or telephone LAPP at (650) 712-1442.
2005 Legislative Update for San Mateo County Resource Families
LAPP’s 2005 legislative update provides information on important new foster care laws passed by the California legislature that took effect on January 1, 2005. Sections on each new law explain the legislature’s intent in enacting the legislation, a summary of the law in “plain language,” a practical explanation of what foster and kinship parents need to know about the law, and an online link to the text of each new law. Highlights of the new laws for 2005 include Senate Bill 1357, Assembly Bill 1913, Assembly Bill 2502, and Assembly Bill 2661.
2004 Legislative Update for San Mateo County Resource Families
LAPP’s 2004 legislative update provides information on important new foster care laws passed by the California legislature that took effect on January 1, 2004. Sections on each new law explain the legislature’s intent in enacting the legislation, a summary of the law in “plain language,” a practical explanation of what foster and kinship parents need to know about the law, and an online link to the text of each new law. Highlights of the new laws for 2004 include Senate Bill 591, Assembly Bill 408, Assembly Bill 458, and Assembly Bill 490.
Rights of Foster Children and Youth in San Mateo County
LAPP’s Toolkit on Rights of Foster Children and Youth in San Mateo County combines legal requirements with practical suggestions on how caregiver families can comply with California law and Community Care Licensing regulations on foster youth rights. Legal cites to applicable codes and regulations are included for easy reference.
Permanency for Children in Foster Care in San Mateo County
LAPP’s Toolkit on Permanency for Children in Foster Care in San Mateo County explains the efforts child welfare agencies must make to maintain children in their homes, when possible and to plan for an alternate permanent home for children who are placed apart from their parents in foster care. Special emphasis is placed on explaining the permanency options for children (e.g. return home, adoption, guardianship, and long-term care) and the role of foster and kinship caregivers in each one.
Role of the Child’s Attorney for San Mateo County Resource Families
LAPP’s Toolkit on the Role of the Child’s Attorney for San Mateo County Resource Families explains who represents children in foster care in San Mateo County, what the child’s attorney does, how and when caregivers should contact their foster child’s attorney, and how to handle complaints about an attorney in San Mateo County.
Your San Mateo County Foster Child’s Sibling Relationships
LAPP’s Toolkit on Your San Mateo County Foster Child’s Sibling Relationships provides information on the rights of brothers and sisters (siblings) when a child is placed in foster care, what and when caregivers should be told about sibling visits, sibling rights when a termination of parental rights (TPR) is being considered, and sibling rights after adoption.
Communicating Concerns About a San Mateo County Foster Child in Your Care
LAPP’s Toolkit on Communicating Concerns About a San Mateo County Foster Child in Your Care offers suggestions on how to effectively communicate with child welfare agency staff, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs), the child’s attorney, the California Ombudsman for Foster Care, and the San Mateo County Juvenile Court. Practical information and links to court forms, a listing of emergency telephone numbers and other useful information is included.
Education Issues for Resource Families in San Mateo County
LAPP’s Toolkit on Education Issues for Resource Families in San Mateo County provides information on a foster child’s right to stay in a prior school under some circumstances, how to obtain a foster child’s educational background information, how to enroll a foster child in school and arrange the transfer of his or her educational records, what to do if a foster child’s educational needs are not being met, special education issues, how to make a request to become a foster child’s educational surrogate, how to work with a foster child’s teacher(s) iregarding sensitive issues, and college opportunities for foster and former foster youth.
Court Participation Basics for San Mateo County Resource Families
LAPP’s Toolkit on Court Participation Basics for San Mateo County Resource Families discusses four (4) ways foster and kinship caregivers can participate in the juvenile court hearings about their foster children: “notice and opportunity to be heard” under the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act and California law; de facto parent status; other motions (requests) caregivers may make to the court; and being a witness in your child’s juvenile court case. Practical suggestions are also included on submitting information to the court and on how to effectively provide information to the court in person.
De Facto Parent Status for San Mateo County Resource Families
LAPP’s Toolkit on De Facto Parent Status for San Mateo County Resource Families explains what de facto parent status is, when and how it developed, how and why a foster or kinship parent might apply for it, what factors courts consider in deciding whether to grant the status to a caregiver, what documents de facto parents have access to, and when de facto parent status ends. Special attention is devoted to an explanation of how of participants in the child welfare system (e.g. parents, child welfare agencies, attorneys, and courts) view requests for de facto parent status as well as legal and non-legal considerations in deciding whether to apply for the status.
Court Motions for San Mateo County Resource Families
LAPP’s Toolkit on Court Motions for San Mateo County Resource Families provides general information on how to file motions (requests) with the juvenile court and offers specific information on common motions foster and kinship caregivers can use to bring an issue to the attention of the juvenile court. Special attention is given to explanations of de facto parent status, motions to modify a prior court order, motions to request access to juvenile court records, requests for restraining orders, and legal guardianship and name change petitions.
Agency Grievance Procedures for San Mateo County Resource Families
LAPP’s Toolkit on Agency Grievance Procedures for San Mateo County Resource Families provides general information for caregivers on how to handle disputes with the child welfare agency, the administrative review process available for San Mateo County caregiver families, the California State Grievance Process for challenging removal of a child from a foster home, typical foster family agency (FFA) grievance procedures, handling licensing violations and criminal charges, and mental health service grievances.
