1. For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “agency” means the department, juvenile court services, or a private agency.
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Terms Used In Iowa Code 232.84

  • Adult: means a person other than a child. See Iowa Code 232.2
  • Child: means any person under the age of eighteen years. See Iowa Code 232.68
  • Court: means the juvenile court established under section 602. See Iowa Code 232.2
  • Department: means the state department of human services and includes the local, county, and service area offices of the department. See Iowa Code 232.68
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Juvenile: means the same as "child". See Iowa Code 232.2
  • Parent: means a biological or adoptive mother or father of a child; or a father whose paternity has been established by operation of law due to the individual's marriage to the mother at the time of conception, birth, or at any time during the period between conception and birth of the child, by order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or by administrative order when authorized by state law. See Iowa Code 232.2
  • relative: includes the parent of a sibling of the child if the sibling's parent's parental rights were not previously terminated in relation to the child. See Iowa Code 232.2
  • state: means the general interest held by the people in the health, safety, welfare, and protection of all children living in this state. See Iowa Code 232.90
 2. Unless the custody of a child is transferred from one of the child’s parents to another parent of the child, within thirty days after the entry of an order under this chapter removing a child from the custody of a parent or parents of the child, the department shall exercise due diligence in identifying and providing notice to the child’s grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, parents of the child’s siblings, and adult relatives suggested by the child’s parents, subject to exceptions due to the presence of family or domestic violence.
 3. The notice content shall include but is not limited to all of the following:

 a. A statement that the child has been or is being removed from the custody of the child’s parent or parents.
 b. An explanation of the options the relative has under federal, state, and other law to participate in the care and placement of the child on a temporary or permanent basis. The options addressed shall include but are not limited to assistance and support options, options for participating in legal proceedings, and any options that may be lost by failure to respond to the notice.
 c. A description of the requirements for the relative to serve as a foster family home provider or other type of care provider for the child and the additional services, training, and other support available for children receiving such care.
 d. Information concerning the option to apply for kinship guardianship assistance payments.
 4. The agency may share information as necessary to explore a child’s potential placement with any adult relative who may receive notice pursuant to subsection 2.
 5. If an adult relative entitled to notice pursuant to subsection 2 is later discovered by or identified to the department, the department shall provide notice to that relative within thirty days of that relative becoming known to the department.