Lowers the minimum age for kinship foster parents and allows different licensing standards for relatives and fictive kin.

This bill amends South Carolina's Children's Code to lower the minimum age for kinship foster parents from twenty-one to eighteen. It also allows the Department of Social Services to use different standards when licensing relatives and fictive kin. The bill modifies the Kinship Foster Care Program to involve kinship foster parents in developing the child's permanent plan and other service plans. It also removes therapeutic foster care placement limitations from kinship foster care placements. The act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Lowers the minimum age for kinship foster parents and allows different licensing standards for relatives and fictive kin.

This bill amends South Carolina's Children's Code to lower the minimum age for kinship foster parents from twenty-one to eighteen. It also allows the Department of Social Services to use different standards when licensing relatives and fictive kin. The bill modifies the Kinship Foster Care Program to involve kinship foster parents in developing the child's permanent plan and other service plans. It also removes therapeutic foster care placement limitations from kinship foster care placements. The act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.