A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT Requiring a county department of social services to observe a parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker for whom allegations of child abuse, neglect, or dependency have been substantiated for a minimum number of visits before return of custody to that person.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 7B‑903.1(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	If a juvenile is removed from the home and placed in the custody or placement responsibility of a county department of social services, the director shall not allow unsupervised visitation with or return physical custody of the juvenile to the parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker without a hearing at which the court finds that the juvenile will receive proper care and supervision in a safe home. Before the county department of social services may recommend return of physical custody of the juvenile to the parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker from whom the juvenile was removed, the county department of social services shall observe that parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker with the juvenile for at least two successful visits and provide documentation of the successful visits to the court for its consideration. Each observation visit shall be conducted at least seven days apart. For purposes of this subsection, a "successful visit" shall consist of an observation of no less than one hour with the juvenile or juveniles subject to the abuse, neglect, or dependency present for the duration of each visit."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.