706.5. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 79, Sec. 6.)

(b) If placement in foster care is not recommended by the probation officer prior to disposition, but the court orders foster care placement, the court shall order the probation officer to prepare a case plan, as described in Section 706.6, within 30 days of the placement order. The case plan shall be filed with the court.

(c) At each status review hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6 and the following information:

(1) (A) The continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement.

(B) On and after October 1, 2021, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program has been reviewed and approved, and, on and after July 1, 2022, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a community treatment facility has been reviewed and approved, pursuant to Section 727.12, the social study shall include evidence of each of the following:

(i) Ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the minor or nonminor dependent continues to support the determination that the needs of the minor or nonminor dependent cannot be met by family members or in another family-based setting, placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program or community treatment facility, as applicable, continues to provide the most effective and appropriate level of care in the least restrictive environment, and the placement is consistent with the short- and long-term mental and behavioral health goals and permanency plan for the minor or nonminor dependent.

(ii) Documentation of the minor or nonminor dependent’s specific treatment or service needs that will be met in the placement, and the length of time the minor or nonminor dependent is expected to need the treatment or services. For a Medi-Cal beneficiary, the determination of services and expected length of time for those services funded by Medi-Cal shall be based upon medical necessity and on all other state and federal Medi-Cal requirements, and shall be reflected in the documentation.

(iii) Documentation of the intensive and ongoing efforts made by the probation department, consistent with the minor or nonminor dependent’s permanency plan, to prepare the minor or nonminor dependent to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent, in a resource family home, tribally approved home, or in another appropriate family-based setting, or, in the case of a nonminor dependent, in a supervised independent living setting.

(2) The extent of the probation department’s compliance with the case plan in making reasonable efforts to safely return the minor to the minor’s home or to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the minor.

(3) The extent of progress that has been made by the minor and parent or guardian toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating placement in foster care.

(4) If the first permanency planning hearing has not yet occurred, the social study shall include the likely date by which the minor may be returned to and safely maintained in the home or placed for adoption, appointed a legal guardian, permanently placed with a fit and willing relative, or referred to another planned permanent living arrangement.

(5) Whether the minor has been or will be referred to educational services and what services the minor is receiving, including special education and related services if the minor has exceptional needs as described in Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code or accommodations if the child has disabilities as described in Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 701) of Title 29 of the United States Code Annotated. The probation officer or child advocate shall solicit comments from the appropriate local education agency prior to completion of the social study.

(6) If the parent or guardian is unwilling or unable to participate in making an educational or developmental services decision for their child, or if other circumstances exist that compromise the ability of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the child, the probation department shall consider whether the right of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor should be limited. If the study makes that recommendation, it shall identify whether there is a responsible adult available to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor pursuant to Section 726.

(7) When the minor is 16 years of age or older and in another planned permanent living arrangement, the social study shall include a description of all of the following:

(A) The intensive and ongoing efforts to return the minor to the home of the parent, place the minor for adoption, or establish a legal guardianship, as appropriate.

(B) The steps taken to do both of the following:

(i) Ensure that the minor’s care provider is following the reasonable and prudent parent standard.

(ii) Determine whether the minor has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities, including consulting with the minor about opportunities for the minor to participate in the activities.

(8) When the minor is under 16 years of age and has a permanent plan of return home, adoption, legal guardianship, or placement with a fit and willing relative, the social study shall include a description of any barriers to achieving the permanent plan and the efforts made by the agency to address those barriers.

(9) (A) For a child who is 10 years of age or older and has been declared a ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 601 or 602 for a year or longer, the information in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.

(B) For a child who is 10 years of age or older, whether the probation officer has informed the minor or nonminor dependent of the information in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.

(C) This paragraph does not affect any applicable confidentiality law.

(10) For a child who is 16 years of age or older or for a nonminor dependent, whether the probation officer has, pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (22) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, identified the person or persons who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, or that the child or nonminor dependent stated that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education.

(11) A copy of each child and family team action plan, as required by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 16501, that is completed on or after January 1, 2026, and was not previously provided to the court.

(d) At each permanency planning hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6, the factual material described in subdivision (c) of this section, and a recommended permanent plan for the minor.