Legal Information
Laws Pertaining to York County Office of Children, Youth & Families
Child Protective Services Law
A person required to report a case of suspected child abuse who willfully fails to do so commits a summary offense for the first violation and a misdemeanor of the third degree for a second or subsequent violation.
View the Child Protective Services Law
Juvenile Act
The purpose of the Juvenile Act is to preserve the unity of the family whenever possible or to provide an alternative permanent family when the unity of the fmaily cannot be maintained.
Adoption and Safe Families Act
On November 19, 1997, the President signed into law the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, to improve the safety of children, to promote adoption and other permanent homes for children who need them, and to support families. This new law makes changes and clarifications in a wide range of policies established under the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (P.L. 96-272), the major federal law enacted in 1980 to assist the states in protecting and caring for abused and neglected children.
Fostering Connections
On October 7, 2008 the President signed into law the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (H.R. 6893/P.L. 110-351). This new law will help connect foster children with their relatives, promote permanent families through relative guardianship, and improve education and health care. This new law will promote permanent families for children by providing:
More Information about Fostering Connections