Policy News and Information for South Carolina's Children
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Legislators Debate Details of Child-Serving Bills
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Five weeks into the 2019 session, lawmakers debate the specifics related to a number of children's issues.
Abuse and Neglect Definitions
S.79
aims to narrow abuse and neglect definitions so that parents wouldn’t be charged when children of sufficient age and maturity – whose basic needs are met – engage in independent activities. The Senate Judiciary Committee returned the bill to subcommittee for further debate.
The bill is based on a reform passed in Utah, intended to provide legal protections for responsible parents making appropriate decisions based on the specific circumstances of their own children. S.79 considers children unattended in vehicles, left home alone, and being outside unsupervised. In Utah, the bill afforded discretionary exceptions to that state’s prescriptive abuse and neglect definitions. In South Carolina, existing abuse and neglect definitions are themselves more discretionary.
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Prostitution and Trafficking
S.188
was also sent back to a Senate Judiciary subcommittee. It provides safe harbor and identity and prosecution protection for exploited minors and for those trafficked. Debate continues as to whether minors should be provided either an affirmative defense or immunity from prosecution, which can be appealed in court.
Placement and Permanency
S.191
would add “fictive kin” to existing kinship foster care programs, which license these families, place children within them, and provide support to them. The bill would also allow kinship and fictive kin placements in certain instances in which the recipient foster parents hadn’t yet completed the licensing process. The bill passed out of subcommittee and heads to the Family and Veterans’ Service Committee, where amendments will be considered.
Kinship care is a special sort of foster care in which care, custody or guardianship is taken by an adult with whom the child has a blood relationship. It aims to provide stability for a child in a time of crisis and a pathway towards permanency. Fictive kin are those people with which a child has an emotionally significant relationship but are not a blood relative.
S.181
would create a way for biological parents to transmit their own medical history to the adoptive parents and/or to the children once they’ve turned 18. The bill moved to the full Family and Veterans’ Service Committee with amendments pending. Ongoing discussions center around the difference between “history” and “records.” Lawmakers are also interested in how adoptions not placed through DSS might get access to parents' histories.
When a child is adopted through DSS, the department must disclose to the adoptive parents key details of the child’s medical and case histories, as well as other information relevant to the child’s health and safety. Generational health information often plays a role in diagnosis of chronic conditions, as well as preventative medicine, but is rarely within DSS’ own files.
Be There
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Children's Trust CEO to Participate in National Webinar Exploring Family Well-Being Issues
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The Aspen Institute is facilitating an Early Childhood and Health Forum entitled "Aligning and Streamlining Systems to Secure Better Outcomes for Families." This
webinar
is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Several forum participants – including
Children's Trust CEO Sue Williams
, Georgia Mjartan, executive director of S.C. First Steps, and Joshua Baker, director of the S.C. Department of Health and Human Services – will share best practices, key insights, innovations, and models emerging in states to advance whole-family success and well-being.
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National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
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The conference, with its theme of “Strong and Thriving Families,” will include workshops, policy forums, skill seminars, and other platforms featuring a cadre of compelling speakers, interactive learning opportunities, meaningful conversations, and networking opportunities.
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Policy Post is published by Children's Trust of South Carolina.
Children’s Trust of South Carolina is the statewide organization focused on the prevention of child abuse and neglect. We provide funding, resources and training to help local program partners build strong families and positive childhoods. Children’s Trust leads the state’s coordinated efforts for the Strengthening Families Program; Triple P (Positive Parenting Program); S.C. Adverse Childhood Experiences Initiative; Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting; Child Abuse Prevention Month; Child Well-Being Coalition; and KIDS COUNT.
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