Juveniles: dependency: jurisdiction of the juvenile court.

Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge certain children to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm or illness as a result of various types of neglect. Existing law prohibits a child from being found to be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court on that basis solely due to the lack of an emergency shelter for the family or the failure of the child's parent or alleged parent to seek court orders for custody of the child. This bill would also prohibit a child from being found to be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court on that basis solely due to indigence or other conditions of financial difficulty. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that families should not be subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court nor should children be separated from their parents based on conditions of financial difficulty, as specified.