Bill > H147

This bill aims to keep siblings together when they are placed in foster care. It requires the Department of Children and Families to seek to place siblings or half-siblings in the same foster care, kinship guardianship, or adoptive placement, unless the Department can show clear and convincing evidence that a joint placement would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the siblings. If siblings cannot be placed together, the Department must facilitate frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction between them, unless it can demonstrate that this would be contrary to their safety or well-being. The bill also allows the court to make orders to ensure the joint placement of siblings, even if it goes beyond the definition of "custody" in the existing law.