Placement with Siblings

Will I get to live with my siblings?

The Department must make all efforts to find a home for you and your siblings to live in together. If you and your siblings are removed from your home, a MDT staffing meeting will  happen to look at whether placing you and your siblings together is possible and is in everyone’s best interest. If the Department is able to find a placement that will accept you and your siblings together, and it is determined at the MDT that it is a good placement for you and your siblings, then you and your sibling must be kept together.

What if my sibling enters foster care after me?

If your sibling enters foster care after you, the Department must try to place that sibling with you if it is in everyone’s best interest to do so.

What if I am not placed with my siblings?

The Department must make sure you can keep in contact with them if you are not placed in the same home. They must make sure you get to visit often with your siblings and that it begin no more than 72 hours of being removed. If you do not visit with your siblings within 72 hours of being removed, the Department must give the court a reason for the delay.

What else will happen if I am not placed with my siblings?

The Department must consider the following practices to keep the bond with your siblings:

• Your caregiver must respect and support your ties to your birth or legal family including parents, siblings, and extended family members. Your carefiver must assist with visitation and communication. The Department must give your caregiver this information and training to make sure they are supporting the connection to your family.
• Provide support to caregiver and help them keep contact between you and your siblings
• Look first to placing you with someone you know instead of foster care
• Try to place you and your siblings as close to each other as possible
• Encourage visitation with your siblings often, allow you to be involved in each other’s lives and go to events such as birthdays, holidays, cultural customs, school and extracurricular activities, and more
• Provide other forms of contact when you cannot see your siblings in person such as letters, email, social media, cards, phone calls
• Set up outings, camps, and other activities
• Encourage caregivers to watch the sibling groups together/babysit, etc.
• Never allow caregivers to stop communication or visitation among siblings as punishment

At least once every 6 months, the Department must take another look at your placement and visitation with your sibling if you are not living with, visiting, or contacting your sibling. If you can be placed with your sibling and it would be good for you and your siblings to be together, the transition to placement with your siblings should take place slowly.

How will I know where my siblings are if we are separated?

Your case manager must give you the contact information and location for your siblings right away if you are placed in separate homes. If your case manager doesn’t know this information they must try to find this information for you.

Will I get to see my siblings if we are separated?

Yes, if you want to. If seeing them in person is not possible, you can contact your siblings through letters, e-mails, social media, cards, texts, or phone calls.

Can anyone stop me from talking to or seeing my siblings as punishment?

No, no one can withhold contact with your siblings as punishment.

Can the court limit or restrict communication with my siblings?

The court can only do this if there is a finding that the communication between you and your siblings is contrary to you or your siblings safety or well-being. If this finding is made, services that can help the well-being and safety of the siblings so that visitation can start again must ve provided by the Department.

What if I am placed with my siblings but there are problems in the home?

If a child in a sibling group is not adjusting well to the placement, services must be given to the caregiver to prevent siblings being disrupted from the placement. If there are still issues, and MDT must be set to see what is in the best interest for all children. If it is in the best interest for any of the children to be moved, there must be a transition plan and also a plan for contact with siblings to continue.

What if I find out that I have a sibling I didn’t know about?

An MDT must be held if you or someone on your team finds out about a sibling you did not know about. At the MDT, your current placement and permanency plan will be discussed to see if any changes need to be made.

What if my sibling is reunified?

You must be allowed to talk with your sibling if the siblings’ parent consents (agrees).

What if my sibling leaves foster care for another reason and I cannot reach them?

You have the right to have the court consider if communication with your sibling should continue.

What if my sibling is adopted?

You may be allowed to have continued contact if the adoptive parent consents (agrees) or if the court orders it.