Lawsuit Challenges New York’s System Of Disqualifying Potential Kinship Caregivers From Receiving Foster Care Licensing Due To Minor Criminal Records

On November 10, 2021, a lawsuit was filed challenging policies of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the New York City Administration for Children Services (ACS) that disqualify potential kinship caregivers with a criminal record from or history with the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR) from being certified as foster or adoptive parents. The plaintiffs are children who have relatives who have been denied based on this history. Some of the plaintiffs have been denied foster or adoptive homes based on a conviction of one of nearly 300 mandatory excluding . . .