Temporary Placement Agreements Seen As Alternative To Foster Care In Missouri

(Missourinet) Missouri lawmakers are working to make sure that a child does not get placed into foster care.

Representative Hannah Kelly, a Republican from Mountain Grove, chairs the Missouri Children and Families Committee. She explains why it’s so important lawmakers and the state Children’s Division work together to address the fact that Missouri has nearly 13-thousand children in foster care.

One potential solution to placing a child in foster care is a program known as “Temporary Alternative Placement Agreements,” which is a voluntary agreement between parents, the Missouri Children’s Division and a willing and able relative or family friend to provide temporary out of home placement for the child if the parent is unable to, due to a safety concern.

It was part of a bill that became law a few years ago.