The Senate Committee on Family and Children Services heard SB 184 authored by Sens. Zay and Ford on the maximum number of foster children. The bill increases from five to six the number of children who may be supervised in a foster family home. Sen. Zay explained that as recently as 2011 the limit was eight children per home, which was then lowered to five, but many experienced foster families are able to care for more children and a limit of six makes more sense than five.
Cathy Graham of IARCA testified in favor of the bill, explaining that the current process for waiving the limit for sibling groups is often taking too long and resulting in sibling groups being placed apart for up to a week while the waiver is processed. Discussion clarified that appropriate space requirements still apply, and not every family would be licensed for 6 children; Sen. Zay and Cathy Graham both estimated that the limit of six would apply to about ten percent of foster families. The bill passed 7-0.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2018/bills/senate/184