48.437 Change in placement; posttermination of parental rights.

(1) Request by guardian or prosecutor.

(a) Notice; information required.

1. The agency appointed as the guardian of a child who is subject to a guardianship order under s. 48.427 (3m) (a) 1. to 4., (am), or (b), the district attorney, or the corporation counsel may request a change in the placement of the child by causing written notice of the proposed change in placement to be sent to the child, the child's counsel or guardian ad litem, the legal custodian of the child, any foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) of the child, the operator of the facility in which the child is living, any agency responsible for securing the adoption of the child or for establishing the child in a permanent family setting, and, if the child is an Indian child who has been removed from the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian, the Indian child's Indian custodian and tribe.

2. The notice shall contain the name and address of the new placement, the reasons for the change in placement, a statement describing why the new placement is preferable to the present placement, a statement of how the new placement satisfies the objectives of the treatment plan or permanency plan ordered by the court, and, if the child is an Indian child who has been removed from the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian, a statement as to whether the new placement is in compliance with the order of placement preference under s. 48.028 (7) (b) or, if applicable, s. 48.028 (7) (c) and, if the new placement is not in compliance with that order, specific information showing good cause, as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), for departing from that order. The person sending the notice shall file the notice with the court on the same day the notice is sent.

(bm) Hearing; order. On receipt of the notice under par. (a), the court shall review the notice and decide whether to hold a hearing on the matter prior to ordering any change in placement or to enter an order changing the child's placement as proposed in the notice without a hearing. If the court decides to hold a hearing on the matter, within 10 days after the notice is filed with the court, but at least 3 days before the hearing, the court shall provide notice of the hearing to the agency appointed as the guardian of the child, the district attorney or corporation counsel, and all persons who are required to receive notice under par. (a). If the court decides not to hold a hearing on the matter, within 10 days after the notice is filed with the court, the court, without a hearing, shall enter an order changing the child's placement as proposed in the notice and shall provide a copy of the order to the agency appointed as the guardian of the child, the district attorney or corporation counsel, and all persons who are required to receive notice under par. (a). The child's placement may not be changed until 10 days after the notice under par. (a) is filed with the court unless the court, without a hearing, enters an order changing the child's placement sooner.

(c) Contents of order. The change-in-placement order shall contain the applicable order under sub. (2v) (a), the applicable statement under sub. (2v) (b), and the finding under sub. (2v) (c). If the court changes the placement of an Indian child who has been removed from the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian, the change-in-placement order shall, in addition, comply with the order of placement preference under s. 48.028 (7) (b) or, if applicable, s. 48.028 (7) (c), unless the court finds good cause, as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), for departing from that order.

(2) Emergency change in placement. If emergency conditions necessitate an immediate change in the placement of a child who is the subject of a guardianship order under s. 48.427 (3m) (a) 1. to 4., (am), or (b), the agency appointed as the guardian of the child may remove the child to a new placement without the prior notice under sub. (1) (a). Notice of the emergency change in placement shall be sent to all persons specified in sub. (1) (a) 1. and filed with the court within 48 hours after the emergency change in placement. The court may hold a hearing on the matter as provided in sub. (1) (bm). In emergency situations, a child may be placed in a licensed public or private shelter care facility as a transitional placement for not more than 20 days or in any placement authorized under s. 48.345 (3).

(2r) Removal from foster home, sustaining parent, or other physical custodian. If a hearing is held under sub. (1) (bm) and the change in placement would remove a child from a foster home or other placement with a physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2), the court shall give the foster parent or other physical custodian a right to be heard at the hearing by permitting the foster parent or other physical custodian to make a written or oral statement during the hearing or to submit a written statement prior to the hearing relating to the child and the requested change in placement. A foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) who receives notice of a hearing under sub. (1) (bm) and a right to be heard under this subsection does not become a party to the proceeding on which the hearing is held solely on the basis of receiving that notice and right to be heard.

(2v) Change-in-placement order. A change-in-placement order under sub. (1) shall contain all of the following:

(a) If the change-in-placement order changes the placement of a child who is under the guardianship of the department or a county department, an order ordering the child to be continued in the placement and care responsibility of the department or county department as required under 42 USC 672 (a) (2) and assigning the department or county department continued primary responsibility for providing services to the child.

(b) If the change-in-placement order changes the placement of the child to a placement recommended by the agency appointed as the guardian of the child under s. 48.427 (3m) (a) 1. to 4., (am), or (b), a statement that the court approves the placement recommended by that agency or, if the change-in-placement order changes the placement of the child to a placement that is not a placement recommended by that agency, a statement that the court has given bona fide consideration to the recommendations made by that agency and all parties relating to the child's placement.

(c) If the child has one or more siblings, as defined in s. 48.38 (4) (br) 1., who have been placed outside the home or for whom a change in placement to a placement outside the home is requested, a finding as to whether the agency appointed as the child's guardian under s. 48.427 (3m) (a) 1. to 4., (am), or (b) has made reasonable efforts to place the child in a placement that enables the sibling group to remain together, unless the court determines that a joint placement would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the child or any of those siblings, in which case the court shall order the agency to make reasonable efforts to provide for frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction between the child and the siblings, unless the court determines that such visitation or interaction would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the child or any of those siblings.

(3) Prohibited placements based on homicide of parent. Except as provided in this subsection, the court may not change a child's placement to a placement in the home of a person who has been convicted of the homicide of a parent of the child under s. 940.01 or 940.05, if the conviction has not been reversed, set aside, or vacated. This subsection does not apply if the court determines by clear and convincing evidence that the placement would be in the best interests of the child. The court shall consider the wishes of the child in making that determination.

(4) Effective period of order. A change-in-placement order under this section remains in effect until the order is modified or terminated by further order of the court. An order granting adoption of the child or transferring guardianship and custody of the child to an individual terminates a change-in-placement order under this section.

History: 2015 a. 373; 2017 a. 365 ss. 16, 111.