Title 26 — MINORS

Source: SL 1989, ch 232 ; SL 1991, ch 217 , § 114B; SDCL Supp, § 26-10-10.2.

The court may designate other persons, including a guardian ad litem or special advocate, who may or may not be attorneys licensed to practice law, to assist the attorney of the child in the performance of the attorney's duties. Compensation and expense allowances for the child's…

§§ 1901-1963), if that Act is applicable. Source: SL 1998, ch 161 , § 4; SL 1999, ch 136 , § 2; SL 2001, ch 141 , § 2; SL 2007, ch 167 , § 2; SL 2012, ch 147 , § 2; SL 2025, ch 110 , § 1.

[Repealed or reserved.]

[Repealed or reserved.]

Information received by an authorized receiving party shall be held confidential by the receiving party. However, the court may order the release of the information or any portion of it necessary for determination of an issue before the court. Upon written request, the Department…

Source: SL 1973, ch 172 , § 3; SL 1975, ch 179 , § 4; SL 1980, ch 192 , § 2; SL 1984, ch 192 , § 7; SL 1985, ch 214 , § 1; SL 1991, ch 217 , § 118B; SDCL Supp, § 26-10-12.1; SL 2010, ch 139 , § 2.

The time for appeal commences on the day following the date of completed service of the notice of entry regardless of the manner in which the notice of entry is served. Source: SL 1991, ch 217 , § 138; SL 2002, ch 131 , § 1; SL 2003, ch 150 , § 1.

It is the purpose of this chapter, in conjunction with chapter 26-7A , to establish an effective state and local system for protection of children from abuse or neglect. Adjudication of a child as an abused or neglected child is an adjudication of the status or condition of the c…

A report made pursuant to § 26-8A-8 to the Department of Social Services shall include the name, address, date and place of birth of the child, the name and address of the child's parents, guardian, custodian, or responsible persons, the date of the report, and the suspected or p…

If an investigation by the Department of Social Services determines that abuse or neglect has occurred, the department shall make reasonable efforts to inform each of the child's parents of the determination with due regard given to the rights of the subject of the report pursuan…

The provisions of § 26-8A-10.1 do not apply if the department has good cause to believe that the provisions of the information will be seriously detrimental to the best interests of the child. Source: SL 2006, ch 145 , § 2.

Within thirty days after the Department of Social Services notifies any person that he or she will be placed on the central registry for child abuse and neglect based upon a substantiated investigation, the person may request an administrative hearing. The administrative hearing …

Within thirty days after the notice of the determination of an unsubstantiated investigation by the Department of Social Services, the person who is the subject of the investigation may request an administrative hearing to determine whether the report was made with malice and wit…

The secretary of social services may adopt reasonable and necessary rules for the operation of the central registry for abuse and neglect, including the following: (1) Filing of reports; (2) Procedures for provision of notice to the subject of a report; (3) Amendment and expuncti…

Upon receipt of a list of names of current or potential employees from a head start program director or the name of any person being considered as an adoptive or foster parent from a certified social worker eligible to engage in private independent practice as defined in § 36-26-…

Upon receipt of names of current or potential employees or volunteers from the Juvenile Division of the Department of Corrections, any adolescent treatment program operated by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Social Services, any entity recognized as administ…

Upon the receipt of a written request from a licensed child welfare agency or a private child welfare agency whose licensure has been waived pursuant to § 26-6-9 , the Department of Social Services shall conduct a check of the central registry for child abuse and neglect for kins…

Upon receipt of a written request from a governmental social service agency with child protection responsibilities for another state and a consent signed by the applicant, the Department of Social Services shall conduct a check of the central registry for child abuse and neglect …

All investigative case records and files relating to reports of child abuse or neglect are confidential, and no disclosure of any such records, files, or other information may be made except as authorized in chapter 26-7A or this chapter. Any person who knowingly violates the con…

Notwithstanding the provisions of § 26-8A-13 , or any other statute to the contrary, in any case that a child is under the jurisdiction of the court pursuant to chapter 26-8B or 26-8C , upon a request for information, the Department of Social Services shall, with due regard to an…

For central registry screenings allowed under the provisions of § 26-8A-13.1 , the Department of Social Services may not complete the requested screening until the court, court services, the Department of Corrections, or the state's attorney provides to the department a consent s…

Upon receipt of a report pursuant to § 26-8A-10 , the Department of Social Services shall make an effort to determine the military status of the parent or guardian whose child is subject to the report of child abuse or neglect. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 26-8A-13 or any …

Any person or party participating in good faith in the making of a report or the submitting of copies of medical examination, treatment, or hospitalization records pursuant to §§ 26-8A-3 to 26-8A-8 , inclusive, or pursuant to any other provisions of this chapter, is immune from a…

The privilege of confidentiality set forth in §§ 19-2-3 , 19-19-503 , 19-19-504 , 19-19-508.1 , and 36-26-30 may not be claimed in any judicial proceeding involving an alleged abused or neglected child or resulting from the giving or causing the giving of a report concerning abus…

Any person who receives a report under § 26-8A-3 may take or cause to be taken color photographs, videotapes, or other images of the areas of trauma visible on a child who is the subject of the report and may require a radiological or other medical examination or testing of the c…

The secretary of social services may appoint child protection teams to assist in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. A child protection team may include licensed or certified medical and health professionals, the court services officer recommended by the pres…

Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 26-7A-31 and 26-8A-9 , the court shall appoint an attorney for any child alleged to be abused or neglected in any judicial proceeding. The court shall appoint an attorney in the manner the county in which the action is being conducted has chos…

There is hereby created in the office of the state treasurer an abused and neglected child defense fund. All moneys in the abused and neglected child defense fund shall be annually distributed by the state treasurer to the counties on a pro rata basis. The state treasurer shall, …

In this chapter and chapter 26-7A , the term, abused or neglected child, means a child: (1) Whose parent, guardian, or custodian has abandoned the child or has subjected the child to mistreatment or abuse; (2) Who lacks proper parental care through the actions or omissions of the…

If a child is an apparent or alleged abused or neglected child, the court may appoint a special advocate to represent the best interests of the child and to assist the child's attorney. If a child has been adjudicated an abused or neglected child and is removed from the child's h…

The Department of Social Services shall make reasonable efforts prior to the removal of an alleged or adjudicated abused or neglected child from the home of the child's parents, guardian, or custodian to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child. If the child has bee…

Exceptions to §

If the court has determined that reasonable efforts to return an adjudicated abused or neglected child to the home of the parent, guardian, or custodian are not appropriate, a permanency hearing shall be held within thirty days after the determination. At the permanency hearing, …

On completion of the dispositional phase of the proceeding, the court shall enter a final decree of disposition. If the final decree of disposition does not terminate parental rights, the decree shall include one or more of the following provisions which the court finds appropria…

If any person convicted of contributory abuse or contributory neglect is the child's parent, guardian, or custodian, the court shall include as part of the sentence, or conditions required as part of the suspended execution or imposition of such sentence, that the person receive …

If a child has been or is under treatment for physical, mental, or emotional illness solely by a spiritual means, the court may, as provided under § 26-8A-22 , order that medical, psychological, or psychiatric treatment and hospitalization be provided for the child. Source: SDCL,…

If a child has been adjudicated to be an abused or neglected child, parental rights have not been terminated and the court places custody of the child in the Department of Social Services, the court shall conduct a review hearing of the foster care status every six months. The he…

In conducting the review hearing required by § 26-8A-24 the court may continue placement of the child separate from the home of the child's parents, guardian, or custodian upon a written judicial determination that return of the child to the home would be contrary to the welfare …

If an adjudicated, abused, or neglected child whose parental rights have not been terminated has been in the custody of the Department of Social Services and it appears at a dispositional or review hearing that all reasonable efforts have been made to rehabilitate the family, tha…

In addition to the provisions of § 26-8A-26 , the court may find that good cause exists for termination of parental rights of a parent who: (1) Committed a crime defined in § 22-16-4 , 22-16-7 , 22-16-15 , 22-16-20 , 22-22-1 , 22-22-24.3 , 22-22A-2 , 22-22A-3 , 26-10-1 , or subdi…

On completion of a final dispositional hearing regarding a child adjudicated to be abused or neglected, the court may enter a final decree of disposition terminating all parental rights of one or both parents of the child if the court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that…

Notice of entry of order of adjudication or final decree of disposition issued by the court in any action involving an abused or neglected child shall be served on the child's attorney and the child's guardian ad litem or special advocate, if any, and on all respondent parents an…

In any action involving the termination of parental rights of both parents or any surviving parent, the court has continuing jurisdiction of the action and of the abused or neglected child for purposes of review of status of the child until the adoption of the child is fully comp…

Except under circumstances where placement was with another relative of the child, any relative who has been denied adoptive placement by the Department of Social Services may request a hearing to determine if the placement was an abuse of discretion. The request shall be filed w…

Any physician, dentist, doctor of osteopathy, chiropractor, optometrist, emergency medical technician, paramedic, mental health professional or counselor, podiatrist, psychologist, religious healing practitioner, social worker, hospital intern or resident, parole or court service…

In any proceeding in which a child under the age of sixteen is describing any act of sexual contact or rape performed with or on the child by another, any act of physical abuse or neglect of the child by another, any act of physical abuse or neglect of another child, any act of h…

At the taking of testimony pursuant to § 26-8A-30 , the public must be excluded from the room in which the child is testifying. The court shall determine those persons permitted to be physically present. The court, in its discretion, may permit in the room a person whose presence…

In any proceeding in which a child under the age of sixteen is describing any act of sexual contact or rape performed with or on the child by another, any act of physical abuse or neglect of the child by another, any act of physical abuse or neglect of another child, any act of h…

Due regard shall be afforded to the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. §§ 1901-1963), if that Act is applicable. Source: SL 2004, ch 2 , § 10, eff. Mar. 3, 2004; SL 2019, ch 127 , § 7.