Rep. Howitt supports child welfare bill establishing a Foster Child Bill of Rights

BOSTON – State Representative Steven S. Howitt (R-Seekonk) has endorsed child welfare legislation that seeks to improve communication and coordination among state agencies working with the families of children in foster care or receiving state services.

House Bill 5629, An Act enhancing child welfare protections, was enacted on July 31 and is now before Governor Maura Healey for her review and signature. The bill represents a compromise negotiated by a six-member conference committee that worked to resolve the differences between two earlier versions of the bill: House Bill 4646, which was engrossed on October 22, 2025, and Senate Bill 3121, which was passed on June 11, 2026.

Representative Howitt said one of the key components of the child welfare bill is the establishment of a Bill of Rights for children in foster care. These provisions affirm that every child has certain rights that are essential to help them grow into healthy and successful adults, including the right to be placed in a safe and nurturing environment and to receive appropriate treatment and care in the least restrictive setting.

House Bill 5629 also affirms every child’s right to a placement that prioritizes their relationships with relatives and “frequent and meaningful contact with their siblings.” The overarching goal of the bill is to help foster children maintain stability in their lives and enable them to secure legal relief should their rights be violated.

Representative Howitt noted that the child welfare legislation requires schools to provide the educational records of students to case workers and to a child’s new school district in a timely manner when they are receiving services through the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The bill also establishes an education unit within DCF, subject to appropriation, to help monitor the academic progress of children under state care and to provide support and assistance to the department’s social workers regarding the educational needs of children receiving services.

In addition, the conference committee report establishes a special commission to study the development of a digital education portfolio system to further support the stability and well-being of foster children and youth in the Commonwealth. This portfolio will help school districts keep track of a child’s educational records should they move between districts. Representative Howitt said the commission will have one year to conduct its study and file a report with its recommendations.

House Bill 5629 also strengthens the role of the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA). In addition to moving the child fatality review team from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to the OCA, the bill authorizes the OCA to review cases involving the indecent assault and battery of a child and the abuse or rape of a child.

Furthermore, House Bill 5629 establishes a youth engagement program within OCA “to ensure that the voices and experiences of youth in congregate care and other out‑of‑home placements inform statewide policy, oversight, and program improvement.”

With the enactment of the conference committee report in the House and Senate, the bill will be sent to Governor Maura Healey for her review and signature. The Governor has until August 10 to act on the bill.