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Session of 2000
          House Concurrent Resolution No. 5060           By Committee on Appropriations           2-2          

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  9             A  CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION establishing policy principles for
10             care of children in Kansas.
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12             WHEREAS, Children are Kansas' most valuable resource; and
13             WHEREAS, The safety, permanency and well-being of Kansas chil-
14       dren is in the best interests of the children and of the state; and
15             WHEREAS, Children deserve to be reared in the safety and security
16       of their family of origin; and
17             WHEREAS, Children and their families deserve to be treated with
18       respect and, consistent with safety, allowed to preserve the privacy of
19       their persons and belongings; and
20             WHEREAS, Children and their parents should enjoy freedom from
21       state interference except when the safety or well-being of the child is
22       threatened or compromised: Now, therefore,
23             Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas,
24       the Senate concurring therein: That it is the right, duty and responsibility
25       of the state to secure for children who have been abused or neglected
26       the protection of the state within the law and available resources; and
27             Be it further resolved: That if and when the intervention of the state is
28       justified, the state in carrying out its protection responsibilities should be
29       guided by the following policy and principles:
30             (a) Children are individuals whose care and safety should be consid-
31       ered in terms of their unique needs and abilities;
32             (b) children and their parents have differing abilities to be involved
33       in planning to resolve the reason for state intervention. Each should be
34       involved in such planning to the extent of their ability;
35             (c) planning with the family should be based upon the strengths of
36       the family as well as their needs and should be culturally sensitive and
37       support a sense of self-worth and capability;
38             (d) a child's sense of time is different than for an adult and should
39       be taken into account in all planning with and for the child;
40             (e) services should be provided which are best suited to avoid the
41       necessity to separate a child from the child's family;
42             (f) if and when the best interests of a child require removal from the
43       care of the child's family, services should be provided which are best

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  1       suited to the reunification of the child with the child's family in the least
  2       amount of time consistent with family safety;
  3             (g) if and when the best interests of a child require the removal of
  4       the child and one or more siblings from the care of their family, reason-
  5       able efforts should be made to maintain the children in the same substi-
  6       tute or permanent care unless the best interests of one or more children
  7       indicate otherwise; and
  8             (h) persons providing services or temporary or permanent alternative
  9       care to the children and families should be provided with the knowledge
10       and skills needed to assist the children and families to achieve the best
11       outcomes possible under their circumstances; and
12             Be it further resolved: That the secretary of state send an enrolled copy
13       of this resolution to the Governor of the state of Kansas.
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