§ 990. Legislative findings. 1. The legislature finds that the
children of this state are at the same time both our most important
resource and our most vulnerable citizens. Children best develop their
unique potential in a caring and healthy family environment either with
their birth parents or other relatives or in an adoptive family, with
support from other nurturing environments, especially the schools and
the community. As such, children need a special state policy to ensure
the strength and viability of their families.

2. The legislature further finds that there is a critical lack of
services available to families and that the shortage of such services is
exacerbated by a lack of coordination of the many existing programs and
policies of state and local governments that impact on children and
families. The legislature also finds that the planning and provision of
services for children and their families would be enhanced by the
establishment of a family policy to ensure that all state and local
planning and provision of services are effectuated in a manner that
maximizes support and strengthening of the family structure. Such
actions also must be directed toward stemming the human and financial
costs of the unnecessary placement of children outside their homes,
while ensuring the safety and well-being of children by providing needed
services to them and their families and, when appropriate, toward
supporting permanency planning for children through adoption or other
means.