§ 14-4-3 - Purposes of chapter – Placement of children in institutions or homes – Guardianship and control.
SECTION 14-4-3
§ 14-4-3 Purposes of chapter –Placement of children in institutions or homes – Guardianship and control.– (a) It is declared to be the object of this chapter to provide for neglectedand dependent children, not recognized as vicious or criminal, any influencesthat will lead toward an honest, intelligent, and self-supporting manhood andwomanhood, the state, so far as possible, holding to them the parentalrelation. But if at any time, in the discretion of the director of children,youth, and families, this object can be better attained by placing a child in agood family of the same religious belief as the parents of the child, thedirector shall have the power to do so on condition that the child's educationshall be provided for by that family in the public schools of the town or citywhere they may reside, or in some other suitable public school or privateschool; and whenever that course is desirable or necessary, the department ofchildren, youth, and families may pay any amount that may be agreed upon forthe care and support of the child.
(b) The director may in his or her discretion place any childrequiring special treatment, training, or oversight in any institution,controlled by persons of the same religious belief as the parents of the child,providing that special treatment, training, or oversight, and may pay anyamount that may be agreed upon for the care and support of the child.
(c) The director is the legal guardian of all childrenentrusted to his or her control and charged with the duty of following anychildren that may be placed in families or institutions with watchful care, andof taking those children back to his or her immediate supervision at any timewhen in his or her judgment the welfare of the children requires that action.In case any child shall leave without permission or is taken by anyunauthorized person from the children's center or from any family or anyinstitution where it shall have been placed by the director, then the directoris authorized to take and restore the child to the children's center or to thefamily or to the institution.
(d) In case of any medical emergency arising with respect toany child entrusted to the control and custody of the director, he or she shallhave the power to authorize medical treatment for the child, provided notice isgiven to him or her by any duly-licensed physician or dentist that a medicalemergency exists and treatment is immediately necessary for the health of thechild involved. In the event the parents of the child are immediately availableand legally competent to give consent to any treatment, the director shall takeall reasonable means to seek their approval for medical treatment to berendered.