OAR 413-110-0130: Consideration of Sibling Placement

(1) The Department's first priorities for placement of a child in the legal custody of the Department are placement with relatives and placing siblings together. (2) When any child in the legal custody of the Department is separated from one or more siblings in substitute care, the Department must make diligent efforts to place the siblings together in substitute care, so long as it is in the best interests of the child, regardless of each child's permanency plan. (a) The caseworker must document the efforts to place siblings together in substitute care in the Department's information system. (b) If siblings are placed separately in substitute care, the Department must ensure that the children have the opportunity for regular, ongoing contact unless contact is not in the best interests of the child or one or more of the siblings. (3) When the Department is considering the permanent separation of one or more siblings through adoption, the caseworker must schedule a permanency committee for a recommendation and decision pursuant to OAR 413-070-0500 to 413-070-0519.