Miss CPS | (601) 850-8000 –

Taking the 5th, but not like in the Constitution…#5 in a series on Mississippi’s Foster Parent’s Bill of Rights.

(p) Support from the family protection worker or the family protection specialist in efforts to do a better day-to-day job in caring for the child and in working to achieve the agency’s objectives for the child and the birth family through provision of:

Read this as help, info and cooperation from the social worker/investigator.

(i) A copy of the “Foster Child Information Form” and all other pertinent information about the child and the birth family, including medical, dental, behavioral health history, psychological information, educational status, cultural and family background, and other issues relevant to the child which are known to the department at the time the child is placed in foster care prior to the child’s placement with a foster parent or parents. The department shall make reasonable efforts to gather and provide all additional current medical, dental, behavioral, educational and psychological information reasonably available from the child’s service providers within fifteen (15) days of placement. When the department learns of such information after fifteen (15) days of placement, the department shall communicate such information to the foster parent as soon as practicable;

This is the Right to be informed about your foster child; the good, the bad and the important.

(ii) An explanation of the plan for placement of the child in the foster parent’s home and the ongoing and timely communication of any necessary information which is relevant to the care of the child, including any changes in the case plan;

This includes the right to know what the permanent plan and concurrent plan for custody/placement are. You have the right to timely updates about any changes in this plan. Interestingly, one placement ends the foster parent does not have the right to know where the child is.

(iii) Help in using appropriate resources to meet the child’s needs, including counseling or other services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation or human trafficking;

Counseling services will be made available if deemed necessary. While you will be privy to confidential information regarding this, you must maintain that confidentiality.

(iv) Direct interviews between the family protection worker or specialist and the child, previously discussed and understood by the foster parents;

You can learn about the info exchanged in in-person interviews between the child and the agency.

(v) Information regarding whether the child experienced commercial sexual exploitation or human trafficking;

You will be provided information if applicable, but also asked to hold this in strict confidence.

(vi) Information related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Foster parents shall protect the confidentiality of the child by working directly with a designated school official to complete the application for free lunches.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 authorized funding for federal school meal and child nutrition programs and increased access to healthy food for low-income children. The bill that reauthorized these programs is often referred to by shorthand as the child nutrition reauthorization bill.

Matthew Thompson and Chad King are child welfare attorneys in the State of Mississippi. They have represented natural parents, foster parents, grandparents, other relatives, fictive kin, children and the Agency (CPS) throughout their decades of practice. (NOT all at the same time).

“Abused child” means a child whose parent, …caused or allowed … sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation, emotional abuse, mental injury, non-accidental physical injury or other maltreatment to occur.

Legal Definitions – Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 43-21-105:

“Neglected child” means a child:
(i) Whose parent… or any person responsible for his care…neglects or refuses, when able to provide necessary care or support, including education (as required by law), medical, surgical, or other care necessary for well-being.

However, a parent who withholds medical treatment from any child who in good faith is under treatment by spiritual means alone through prayer in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall not, for that reason alone, be considered to be neglectful…
(ii) Who is otherwise without proper care, custody, supervision or support; or
(iii) Who, for any reason, lacks the special care made necessary for him by reason of his mental condition, whether the mental condition is having mental illness or having an intellectual disability; or
(iv) Who, for any reason, lacks the care necessary for his health, morals or well-being.
- The “when able” provision limits the application of neglect when the parent does not have the ability to provide necessities, think sever poverty issues. In that instance it is not willful neglect.
“Abused child” means a child whose parent…has caused or allowed sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation, emotional abuse, mental injury, non-accidental physical injury or other maltreatment.
However, physical discipline, including spanking, performed on a child by a parent, guardian or custodian in a reasonable manner shall not be deemed abuse under this section.
“Abused child” also means a child who is or has been trafficked within the meaning of the Mississippi Human Trafficking Act.
“Sexual abuse” means obscene or pornographic photographing, filming or depiction of children for commercial purposes, or the rape, molestation, incest, prostitution or other such forms of sexual exploitation of children.
“Any person responsible for care or support” means the person who is providing for the child at a given time. This term includes stepparents, foster parents, relatives, non-licensed babysitters or other similar persons responsible for a child and staff of residential care facilities and group homes.
“Commercial sexual exploitation” means any sexual act or crime of a sexual nature, which is committed against a child for financial or economic gain, to obtain a thing of value for quid pro quo exchange of property or for any other purpose.
Abuse and neglect are preventable and/or treatable circumstances if We all Look out for one another. If you see something, say something!

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