Patrick Administration Announces Development of Foster Child Bill of Rights

Download the Foster Child Bill of Rights (PDF) | Word

BOSTON — The Patrick Administration today announced the creation of the Foster Child Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights, developed by the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) Youth Advisory Board consisting of current and former DCF foster youth who participate on a volunteer basis, was created to ensure that foster children across the state are treated with respect and actively included in the decisions that affect their lives. The Bill of Rights, initiated by the Youth Advisory Board, was a project the youth worked on for several months with DCF Commissioner Angelo McClain.

“We want the young people who come into the care of the Commonwealth to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “I commend the young people who helped put the Bill of Rights together and the Department of Children and Families for their focus on improving the policies and practices that affect foster children.”

“It was an honor to work with our youth on this very important project,” said Commissioner McClain. “It is critical that youth in our care know they are entitled to these very basic rights, and that they are respected. For many youth, an understanding of these rights instills confidence and encourages personal growth.”

At an event with the Commissioner and agency senior staff, members of the Youth Advisory Board presented the document by reading aloud each of the 18 rights declared as part of the Bill of Rights. The youth, along with Commissioner McClain, signed the document in recognition of its importance to the Department and the children in its care.

“This Bill of Rights puts on paper our rights as foster children and commands respect from all those we encounter,” said Eryn Tobin, former DCF youth and current member of the DCF Youth Advisory Board. “This effort started on a scrap piece of paper, and turned into regular meetings with the Commissioner and other DCF youth to discuss the most important items to include.”

The Bill of Rights begins with the following preamble:

“The Department of Children and Families recognizes the following rights of children and youth in foster care. These rights are intended to guide the Department and its providers in the delivery of care and services to foster youth with the commitment to permanency, safety and well being. Each of the eighteen rights included within the document begins with ‘every foster child shall have…’ proclaiming the significance of each of the rights. Interestingly, each of the rights established already exists in DCF policy or agency documents, but the youth on their own crafted these rights in the format they felt was the most powerful and meaningful to them and their peers.

The Bill of Rights Includes

Reasonable access to a caseworker who makes case plan decisions;
Participation in the development and review of the service plan and input into changes made that affect the permanency, safety, stability or well being of the youth;
Information about a foster family or program whenever possible;
Access to information contained in medical, dental and educational records.

This set of rights continues to support the youth development model of service delivery that the Department believes offers youth opportunities for personal growth, nurturing relationships, educational achievement, employment and leadership.

About the Department of Children and Families

The Department of Children and Families is charged with protecting children from abuse and neglect and strengthening families. There are currently 10,000 children in foster care across Massachusetts and more than 40,000 children in all served by the Department. With the understanding that every child is entitled to a home that is free from abuse and neglect, the Department’s vision is to ensure the safety of children in a manner that holds the best hope of nurturing a sustained, resilient network of relationships to support the child’s growth and development into adulthood.Programs through the Department of Children and Families include foster care, adoption, adolescent services and domestic violence services.

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