Foster care: placement: family finding.

Assembly Members Solache and Bryan's foster care reform legislation aims to increase the placement of foster children with relatives through new county oversight and reporting requirements. The bill requires counties to conduct annual reviews comparing their relative placement rates to statewide averages, beginning January 2027.

Counties with below-average placement rates must consult with the Center for Excellence in Family Finding, Engagement, and Support to identify and implement best practices for improvement. These counties' boards of supervisors must also address relative placement rates and planned improvements during at least one public meeting annually. The legislation allows social services committees to handle these discussions in lieu of full board meetings.

The measure builds upon existing requirements for county social workers to investigate and notify adult relatives within 30 days when children enter foster care. It maintains current provisions requiring counties to assess relatives for emergency placements and assist them in obtaining necessary resources like cribs and car seats. The bill's findings note significant racial disparities in California's foster care system, with Black and Native American children experiencing disproportionately high rates of child welfare involvement compared to other demographic groups.