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Mass. General Laws c.119

Protection and care of children, and proceedings against them.

This page links to an unofficial version of each section of G.L. c. 119. Please note that sections that appear missing have been either reserved for future use or repealed.

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§ 1 Declaration of policy; purpose 
§ 21 Definitions applicable to Secs. 21 to 51H 

Amended by St.2020, c. 227, § 44, effective December 11, 2020

§ 21A Admissibility of evidence; qualified experts 
§ 22 Visitation of family foster homes; removal of child; discharge of child to parent or legal guardian 
§ 23 Responsibility of department to provide foster care for children; placement with relatives; funeral expenses; child profile form; extension of support of child until 22 years of age; assignment of support rights; assistance to foster care families 

Amended by St. 2025, c. 9, § 49 effective July 1, 2025

§ 23A Children born to inmates of correctional institutions or jails; care and custody 
§ 23B Services to unwed mothers 
§ 23C Foster parents' bill of rights 

Added by St. 2022, c.439, effective April 5, 2023

§ 23D Benefits eligibility for children in foster care and young adults transitioning out of foster care; reporting; financial literacy training; regulations 

Added by St. 2025, c. 9, § 50, effective July 1, 2025; subsections (d) and (h)-(i) effective January 1, 2027

§ 24 Procedure to commit child to custody or other disposition; notice and summons; emergency order transferring custody; investigation; abandoned children 
§ 25 Hearing; custody of child 
§ 26 Procedure at hearing; order of commitment; petition to dispense with parental consent to adoption; reimbursement of commonwealth; petition for review 
§ 26A Registration of interest for foster care placement; criminal record review; fingerprint-based checks; grounds for rejection 
§ 26B Grandparent visitation; sibling visitation; appeal of decision to deny visitation 
§ 26C Summary of foster care providers' employment 
§ 26D Animal behavior or temperament assessments for foster or pre-adoptive homes 

Added by St. 2024, c. 222, § 3, effective January 7, 2025

§ 27 Appeals; procedure; notice of right of appeal; time limits 
§ 28 Orders for payment of support; who may bring action; expiration of order or judgment 
§ 29 Right to counsel; notice of right; court appointed counsel 
§ 29A Legal fees of minors in criminal proceedings; liability of parents 
§ 29B Determination of future status of committed children; orders; permanency hearings; appeals 
§ 29C Judicial certification of need to remove child from home 
§ 29D Notice of hearing 
§ 32 Placement of children in private families; early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment standards; individualized health care plan 

Amended by St.2022, c. 177, § 45, effective November 8, 2022

§ 33 Placement of children in family home care 
§ 33B Placement in family home care of juvenile who has or may have committed a sexual offense or arson 
§ 33C Congregate care program; reasonable and prudent parent standard 
§ 34 Transportation of children in patrol wagons 
§ 35 Furnishing parent or guardian information as to child; permission to visit; notice; parents convicted of first degree murder 
§ 36 Bringing child into commonwealth with view to adoption, guardianship, custody or care; permit; application; bond 
§ 37 Rules and regulations of department 
§ 38 Closed hearings; publication of names 
§ 38A Petitions for order to not resuscitate or to withdraw life-sustaining medical treatment; required recommendations; appeals 
§ 39 Abandonment of infant under age of ten 
§ 39 1/2 Placement of a newborn into foster care 
§ 39D Visitation rights to certain grandparents of unmarried minor children; place to file petition 
§ 39E Petitions seeking determination that child is in need of services; jurisdiction; standing 
§ 39F Right to counsel; determination of indigency; assessment of costs 
§ 39G Hearing; determination of child requiring assistance 
§ 39H Custodial protection of child; notification and placement; bail; detention; right of appeal 
§ 39I Appeal; rights and procedures 
§ 39K Child welfare service needs of sexually exploited children 
§ 39L Children in violation of prohibition against common night walking or common streetwalking; petition for care and protection; appointment of guardian ad litem; stay of juvenile delinquency or criminal proceedings 
§ 39M Dependency proceedings for abused, neglected and abandoned children; determination of child’s best interest; petition for special findings 
§ 51A Reporting of suspected abuse or neglect; mandated reporters; collection of physical evidence; penalties; content of reports; liability; privileged communication 

Amended by St. 2024, c. 285, § 15, effective March 23, 2025

§ 51B Investigation of report of abuse filed under Sec. 51A; removal of child; transmission and filing of written reports; notice to district attorney; disclosure of information by mandated reporter 

Amended by St. 2024, c. 178, §§ 146-147, effective August 8, 2024

§ 51C Custody of injured child pending transfer to department or pending hearing 
§ 51D Powers and duties of area directors; multi-disciplinary service teams 
§ 51E Reports of injured children; files; confidentiality; penalties 
§ 51F Central registry of information; confidentiality; penalties 
§ 51G Severability of Secs. 51A to 51F 
§ 51H Protective alerts; transport of child to another state or country 
§ 52 Delinquent children; definitions 
§ 53 Liberal construction; nature of proceedings 
§ 54 Complaint; indictment; examination of complainant; summons; warrant 
§ 54A Delinquent children; diversion of child to program of community supervision or other rehabilitative services; assessment of suitability for diversion; determination of eligibility; diversion of child by district attorney 
§ 54B Delinquent children; educational diversion programs 

Added by St. 2024, c. 118, § 3, effective September 18, 2024

§ 55 Summoning of parent or guardian 
§ 55A Jury trials; discovery orders; jury-waived trials; appointment of stenographer 
§ 55B Plea; disposition request; pretrial motions 
§ 56 Adjournments; jury sessions; appointment of stenographer 
§ 57 Investigation by probation officer; record of performance; reports 
§ 58 Adjudication as delinquent child or youthful offender 
§ 58B Motor vehicle violations; disposition; admissibility of adjudication and disposition as evidence in other proceedings 
§ 59 Violation of terms of probation 
§ 60 Admissibility of adjudication in subsequent proceeding; disqualification for public service 
§ 60A Inspection of records in youthful offender and delinquency cases 
§ 62 Restitution or reparation by child to injured person 
§ 63 Inducing or abetting delinquency of child 
§ 63A Aiding and abetting violation of juvenile court order; concealing or harboring child; penalties; defenses 
§ 64 Powers of commissioner of probation; annual report 
§ 65 Juvenile sessions; presence of minors; exclusion of public 
§ 66 Detention of child in police station; commitment to jail, house of correction or state farm 
§ 67 Notice of arrest of child; release upon promise of child’s appearance in court; detention 
§ 68 Commitment of children held for examination or trial 
§ 68A Diagnostic study by department of youth services; report and recommendations 
§ 68B Special foster homes; detention homes; alternate placements of child 
§ 68C Diagnostic services by department of youth services 
§ 69 Information and reports of superintendents of schools and teachers 
§ 69A Information of probation officers, police and school authorities 
§ 70 Summoning of parent or guardian during case 
§ 71 Failure to appear on summons; capias 
§ 72 Continuance of jurisdiction of courts in juvenile sessions 
§ 72A Proceedings upon apprehension after nineteenth birthday 
§ 72B Persons between the ages of fourteen and eighteen convicted of murder; penalties 
§ 74 Limitations on criminal proceedings against children 
§ 84 Warrant of commitment to department of youth services 
§ 85 Department employees reporting animal cruelty, abuse or neglect; immunity from liability 

Amended by St. 2024, c. 222, § 4, effective January 7, 2025

§ 86 Use of restraints during court proceedings 
§ 87 Placement of juvenile in secure detention facility or secure correctional facility or in any institution in which juvenile has contact with adult inmates 
§ 88 Participation in community-based restorative justice program 
§ 89 Juvenile justice policy and data board 

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