{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/2.2-442.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/2.2-442.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/2.2-442.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/2.2-442.html"}],"law_id":56251,"edition_id":1,"section_id":56251,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-442","catch_line":"Children’s Ombudsman; powers and duties","history":"2020, c. 1090; 2023, c. 750; 2024, c. 280.","full_text":"In addition to any powers described in this chapter, the Children’s Ombudsman has the authority to do all of the following with regard to children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption and children who may have died as a result of alleged abuse or neglect:\n\n1\n\nPursue all necessary action, including legal action, to protect the rights and welfare of such children;2\n\nPursue legislative advocacy in the best interest of such children;3\n\nReview policies and procedures relating to any child-serving agency’s involvement with such children upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint and make recommendations for improvement;4\n\nInitiate investigations of administrative acts of the Department, a local department, a children’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency in cases relating to such children upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint; and5\n\nSubject to an appropriation of funds, commence and conduct investigations into alleged violations of the rights of a foster parent.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":206025,"text":"In addition to any powers described in this chapter, the Children’s Ombudsman has the authority to do all of the following with regard to children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption and children who may have died as a result of alleged abuse or neglect:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":206026,"text":"Pursue all necessary action, including legal action, to protect the rights and welfare of such children;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":206027,"text":"Pursue legislative advocacy in the best interest of such children;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":206028,"text":"Review policies and procedures relating to any child-serving agency’s involvement with such children upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint and make recommendations for improvement;","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":206029,"text":"Initiate investigations of administrative acts of the Department, a local department, a children’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency in cases relating to such children upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint; 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establishment; appointment; removal","url":"\/2.2-439\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-439","metadata":false},{"id":65867,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-440","catch_line":"Procedures; training; notification of safety concerns.","url":"\/2.2-440\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-440","metadata":false},{"id":55274,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-441","catch_line":"Individuals making complaint to Children's Ombudsman","url":"\/2.2-441\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-441","metadata":false},{"id":56251,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-442","catch_line":"Children's Ombudsman; powers and duties","url":"\/2.2-442\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-442","metadata":false},{"id":57255,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-443","catch_line":"Abused or neglected children; children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption; powers of Children's Ombudsman; child fatality cases; investigation","url":"\/2.2-443\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-443","metadata":false},{"id":63429,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-444","catch_line":"Decision to investigate; notice; pursuing administrative remedies or channels of complaint; further investigation; violation of state or federal criminal law; complaint against child-placing agency; petition requesting court jurisdiction or termination of parental rights","url":"\/2.2-444\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-444","metadata":false},{"id":59527,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-445","catch_line":"Department and child-placing agency; duties; information to be provided to biological parent, adoptive parent, or foster parent; access to departmental computer networks","url":"\/2.2-445\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-445","metadata":false},{"id":60624,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-446","catch_line":"Confidentiality of record of Children's Ombudsman; disclosure; limitations; release of certain information","url":"\/2.2-446\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-446","metadata":false},{"id":71669,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-447","catch_line":"Report of findings; recommendations; consultation with individual, Department, local department, children's residential facility, or child-placing agency; publication of adverse report; notice of actions; information provided to complainant; child fatality investigation; report","url":"\/2.2-447\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-447","metadata":false},{"id":58073,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-448","catch_line":"Penalty for filing complaint or cooperating in investigation prohibited","url":"\/2.2-448\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-448","metadata":false},{"id":81030,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-449","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/2.2-449\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-449","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":55274,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-441","catch_line":"Individuals making complaint to Children's Ombudsman","url":"\/2.2-441\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-441","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":57255,"structure_id":14132,"section_number":"2.2-443","catch_line":"Abused or neglected children; children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption; powers of Children's Ombudsman; child fatality cases; investigation","url":"\/2.2-443\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-443","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/2.2-442\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 1090<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2023, chapter 750<\/a>; in 2024, chapter 280<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":60624,"section_number":"2.2-446","catch_line":"Confidentiality of record of Children's Ombudsman; disclosure; limitations; release of certain information","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-446\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":172269,"object_type":"law","relational_id":56251,"identifier":"2.2-442","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-442","url":"\/2.2-442\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-442\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-442","dublin_core":{"Title":"Children’s Ombudsman; powers and duties","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-442","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In addition to any powers described in this chapter, the Children’s Ombudsman<\/span> has the authority to do all of the following with regard to children receiving child<\/span>-protective services, in foster care<\/span>, or placed for adoption and children who may have died as a result of alleged abuse or neglect:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Pursue all necessary action, including legal action, to protect the rights and welfare of such children; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Pursue legislative advocacy in the best interest of such children; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Review policies and procedures relating to any child<\/span>-serving agency<\/span>’s involvement with such children upon the Ombudsman<\/span>’s own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint and make recommendations for improvement; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Initiate investigations of administrative acts<\/span> of the Department, a local department<\/span>, a children’s residential facility, or a child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> in cases relating to such children upon the Ombudsman<\/span>’s own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Subject to an appropriation of funds, commence and conduct investigations into alleged violations of the rights of a foster parent. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCHILDREN’S OMBUDSMAN; POWERS AND DUTIES (\u00a7 2.2-442)\n\nIn addition to any powers described in this chapter, the Children’s\nOmbudsman has the authority to do all of the following with regard to children\nreceiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption and\nchildren who may have died as a result of alleged abuse or neglect:\n\n1. Pursue all necessary action, including legal action, to protect the rights\nand welfare of such children;\n\n2. Pursue legislative advocacy in the best interest of such children;\n\n3. Review policies and procedures relating to any child-serving agency’s\ninvolvement with such children upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative or upon\nreceipt of a complaint and make recommendations for improvement;\n\n4. Initiate investigations of administrative acts of the Department, a local\ndepartment, a children’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency\nin cases relating to such children upon the Ombudsman’s own initiative or\nupon receipt of a complaint; and\n\n5. Subject to an appropriation of funds, commence and conduct investigations\ninto alleged violations of the rights of a foster parent.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, c. 1090; 2023, c. 750; 2024, c. 280.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}