Sacramento – Today, Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) introduced AB 2051, which strengthens visitation rights for foster siblings, who are dependent or nonminor dependent children who have been placed together in foster care, and have developed a sibling-like bond, despite having no relationship through blood, adoption, or affinity. The bill will protect the strong connection between foster siblings by including them into the visitation provisions provided in current law.
According to the Children’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “sibling relationships can provide a source of continuity throughout a child’s lifetime and can be the longest relationships that people experience.[1]” However, for children involved with the foster system, “separation or infrequent visiting can cause those relationships to wither, sometimes to the point of permanent estrangement.”
“As a result of the trauma that youth in foster care have faced – and some of them continue to face – maintaining stability and consistency is an important factor for their wellbeing,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “This bill would help preserve a level of consistency in the lives of foster youth even after they move to a new placement. The relationships that youth form when they share not only a home, but also similar experiences, are quite synonymous with sibling relationships. Many times, they offer the same sense of love, safety, and support that one would find with biological or adopted siblings.”
California law directs child welfare agencies and the courts to develop and maintain sibling relationships and other relationships that are important to the youth in foster care. AB 2051 would define foster sibling relationships and clarify that this important relationship is one of the connections required to be developed and maintained by the child welfare agencies. It is important that our state laws and policies prioritize the holistic wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable youth by protecting the relationships that matter most to them.
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Assembly District 47 which includes the cities of Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, San Bernardino and the unincorporated areas of Muscoy and Bloomington.
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[1] Child Welfare Information Gateway, Sibling Issues in Foster Care and Adoption: Bulletins for Professionals (2006), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[1] Child Welfare Information Gateway, Sibling Issues in Foster Care and Adoption: Bulletins for Professionals (2006), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
