Kentucky's foster care system has endured some serious obstacles in the past year.

An investigation by the Louisville Courier-Journal found that Unplaced foster children were sleeping in state office buildings.

Although Kentucky still faces difficulties placing children into foster care homes.

A new Senate bill hopes to support family members turned caregivers.

Our Clayton Dalton has this report.

In Kentucky, when a child is removed from their home, family members like aunts, uncles and grandparents or close friends like coaches, teachers and clergy can step up and care for a child.

These individuals have two options.

Temporary custody, which provides them little to no financial support or relative foster care, which does provide them with financial support from the state.

A Republican lawmaker believes families aren't afforded enough flexibility with their decision.

And she's not alone.

The Department for Community based Services and the courts have established a policy that there is a one time only that's really a one time only decision for a relative or fictive kin caregiver to accept a temporary custody for a relative foster care placement for a child who is in need.

So it has come to my attention that this policy is very restrictive and it is putting a financial and resource strain on many of our relatives and fictive kin caregivers.

There are a lot of reasons, a lot of families that have issues with the way this program is implemented right now.

If you look at a DCB report that they issued in September 20, 23, more than half of the children are in temporary custody instead of relative foster care.

That that in itself indicates there's an issue there because we've heard for years and years and years I've come to this table many, many times.

And caregivers need more assistance for their kids that they care for.

Kentucky Youth Advocates, a Louisville based organization dedicated to child well-being, says placing removed children with relatives or close friends helps reduce trauma.

State Senator and Majority Caucus Chair Julie Rocky Adams has sponsored Senate Bill 151 aimed at better supporting those who step up.

You have 151 in front of you so that our relative and effective can caregivers can have that flexibility in how they are able to obtain additional assistance and supports for care of the children that are placed in their homes.

Fictive kin are caregivers who are not related to a child by birth, adoption or marriage, but have a significant relationship with the child.

The intent of 151 is to incorporate that flexibility into relative and fictive kin placement options by allowing our caregivers the opportunity to change their placement status from temporary custody to a child specific foster home as necessary.

This flexibility will close the service as supports and resources gaps that is currently plaguing many of our families.

Senate Bill 151 passed unanimously out of committee and now heads to the Senate floor.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm clayton dalton.

Thank you so much.

Clayton.

Senate Bill 151 also gives displaced children more say in their foster care experience.

Remove children would be allowed to submit a list of family members and friends they could potentially live with.