The child in "the system"

Kansas is proud to be a family-oriented state. Good schools and family support are midwestern qualities to be envied. Despite this, it is an unfortunate reality that a few Kansas children are sometimes put in situations that may remove them from one or both parents and/or the homes to which they are acquainted. Other times, parents are separating and there is a dispute over custody or support. Kansas government has several services that provide quick relief and find a solution which best keeps the family intact or, if needed, provide a new, stable home for the child.

The Kansas Judicial Branch has provided the 2010 Kansas Child Support Guidelines:
http://www.kscourts.org/Rules-procedures-forms/Child-Support-Guidelines/2010-Guidelines-Final.pdf

Kansas courts are instructed by KSA 5-503(f) to provide mediation to come to a quick solution for the child. Mediation is a way for people in disagreement to discuss the problems involved with the help of a third party who will not take sides :
http://www.kscourts.org/programs/parenting-planning/mediation.asp

In accordance to KSA 38-1552a, Kansas courts have developed the Parent Ally Program:
http://www.kscourts.org/programs/parenting-planning/parent-ally-orientation.asp

Kansas has created the Office of Child Support Services (CSE) which helps children by enforcing parental responsibility to pay financial support. All Kansas families have access to CSE services, which include assistance with locating non-custodial parents, confirming paternity, establishing and enforcing child support and medical support orders, and collecting and distributing payments:
http://www.usa800.com/rback/kschild/kschild.asp

For convenience, the state has set up the Child Support Payment Center:
http://www.kspaycenter.com/

Sometimes child support payments are delayed by one parent or the other for various reasons. The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) can help payments get back on track:
http://www.srskansas.org/cse/cse.htm

There are also Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs available. The CASA program assist in securing permanency for children who are in the child welfare system because of alleged or confirmed abuse and/or neglect. The presiding judge in such a case may appoint a CASA volunteer who is responsible for advocating the best interests of the child and assisting the child in obtaining a permanent, safe, and homelike placement. Also, CASA volunteers can be appointed to work with children in the juvenile justice system and children involved in domestic relations cases. A list of CASA programs can be found at:
http://www.kscourts.org/programs/CASAtable.pdf

SRS has several services to assist and preserve a family before a situation requires a child be removed from the home:
http://www.srskansas.org/CFS/programservices.htm#Services%20to%20Preserve%20Families

When a report of abuse or neglect is made to SRS, an Initial Assessment is completed to determine if SRS should become involved. If the report meets the criteria for SRS involvement, it is investigated by a social worker or special investigator. Learn more about the investigative process at:
http://www.srskansas.org/CFS/programservices.htm#Child%20Protective%20Services

***If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected in Kansas, please contact the Kansas Protection Report Center (PRC) at 1-800-922-5330 OR call your local law enforcement.

If a situation requires it, a child is placed in the care of SRS and a suitable foster family is found. Years ago foster care and adoption was privatized and now private agencies across the state partner with SRS to provide stable homes for children. Some of Kansas' foster care partners can be found at:
http://www.childally.org/fostercare/fosteragencies.html

One in four children in the care of SRS live with relatives. Learn more about the Relatives as Caregivers program at:
http://www.srskansas.org/CFS/RelativesasCaregivers.pdf

Learn more about the Grandparents as Caregivers program at:
http://www.srskansas.org/ISD/ees/grandparents_caregivers.htm

If you are looking to become a permanent solution for a child through adoption you can learn more about adoption assistance at:
http://www.srskansas.org/CFS/AdoptionAssistanceBrochure.pdf

Article contact: Kim Harp

Child care helps

The following resources are compiled by the State library to help both parents and childcare providers in finding the assistance they need to provide Kansas kids a safe, happy, and educational environment.

Information for daycares/babysitters and those seeking them:
Kansas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies- this site provides a list of agencies in various parts of Kansas that help parents find child care providers and they assist those providers with continuing education.
http://www.kaccrra.org/

Daycare homes and group daycare home regulations http://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/regs/daycare_groupdaycare_regs.html

Child care licensing and registration
http://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/index.html

Materials available for caregivers from KU Early Childhood Resource Center http://kskits.org/ecrc/

Financial help for child rearing:
Child care subsidy program from the Kansas Department of SRS
http://www.srskansas.org/ISD/ees/child_care.htm

Kansas Head Start Association- supports all 28 Head Start programs in Kansas
http://www.ksheadstart.org/

Tips for child rearing:
Kansas Parent Information Resource Center has wonderful ideas, tips, and website links to arm parents
http://www.kpirc.org/

Kindergarten in Kansas- guide for Kindergarten readiness http://www.kpirc.org/uploads/Kindergarten_in_Kansas.pdf

Parenting tools for the internet age
From the Governor’s office:
http://www.parenttools.ks.gov/default.htm
From the Attorney General’s office:
http://www.ksag.org/content/page/id/47

Kansas Parents as Teachers
http://www.kpata.org/

Kansas Helps Grandparents caring for their grandkids

Caring for your child's children can bring joys and burdens both emotional... and financial. The Grandparents as Caregivers Assistance program can provide adults who are providing in-house care of their grandchildren financial assistance from the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. It provides cash benefits to grandparents or other relatives raising children. See below for more information on this valuable program as well as other available assistance from the state of Kansas and the Federal Government.

Find out more about this program at:
http://www.srskansas.org/ISD/ees/grandparents_caregivers.htm

Brochure to hand out about the program
http://www.srskansas.org/KEESM/Forms/ES-6001_caregivers_01_07.pdf

Online application form
http://www.srskansas.org/KEESM/Forms/ES-3100.9_Grandparents_as_Caregivers_Assistance_Application_01_07.pdf

Relatives as Parents Program from the Kansas Department of Aging
http://www.agingkansas.org/kdoa/programs/rapp.htm

Health Assistancehttp://www.kansashealthwave.org/

Guide to Food Assistance resources
http://www.srskansas.org/ISD/ees/Guide_KS_Food_Resources.pdf

Info on Kansas Vision Cards (used to be called food stamps)
http://www.srskansas.org/ISD/ees/EBThandbookEng.pdf

Child care subsidy information from the state of Kansas
http://www.srskansas.org/ISD/ees/child_care.htm

Childcare referral help from Kansas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
http://www.kaccrra.org/

Factsheet on Grandparents caring for grandchildren in Kansas
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/tanf/about.html

The Grandparents as Caregivers program is made possible by the Kansas Grandparents as Caregivers Act under Kansas Statute 38-142 through 38-148. These statutes can be found at http://www.kslegislature.org/.

Funding from the U.S. Office of Family Assistance and financing through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families can be found at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/tanf/about.html

Emancipation in Kansas

(This blog article was updated March 1, 2012)

Emancipation is the process by which a minor can petition the district court of the county in which they live for emancipation. A person must be at least 16 years old to petition and be a resident of his or her county for one year. The minor petitioning must be able to give the reason that they are seeking emancipation. In open court the minor seeking emancipation must be able to prove sound mind and an ability to conduct their own affairs.

Should these requirements be met the court may decree that the petitioner be empowered to exercise the rights of majority that are covered by statute (38-108). These include the rights to contracts, real and personal property, to purchase, and control in their own person any goods that they have lawfully acquired or inherited, as well as to right to sue and be sued.

On Your Own
Useful pamphlet for things to think about before starting the emancipation procedure
http://ksbar.org/associations/13344/files/on_your_own.pdf
(Kansas Bar Association)

For the Record: A guide to your rights and responsibilities as a young adult
http://ksbar.affiniscape.com/associations/13344/files/for_the_record.pdf
(Kansas Bar Association)

Laws applicable to minors
http://www.ksbar.org/public/public_resources/pamphlets/for_the_record.shtml#6

Johnson County information on emancipation
http://da.jocogov.org/faq/juvenile
(From frequently asked questions page at JoCoGov)

Emancipation of Minors
http://www.kansaslegalservices.org/files/Emancipation%20of%20Minors.pdf
(Pamphlet from Kansas Legal Services)

Statutes that address emancipation:
K.S.A 38-101, 38-108, 38-109, 60-1610
You can find the full text of these statutes at
http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-statutes/index.do

Popular Baby Names in 2007

The Kansas Center for Health and Environmental Statistics recently released its annual listing of most popular names given to newborns. At the top of the diaper pail in 2007 were two names which are interchangeable for boys and girls: Addison and Aiden. You can check out the list of names as well as former top baby names for previous years at:

http://www.kdheks.gov/hci/babyname.html