IOWA STATUTES AND CODES
232.97 - SOCIAL INVESTIGATION AND REPORT.
232.97 SOCIAL INVESTIGATION AND REPORT.
1. The court shall not make a disposition of the petition until
two working days after a social report has been submitted to the
court and counsel for the child and has been considered by the court.
The court may waive the two-day requirement upon agreement by all the
parties. The court may direct either the juvenile court officer or
the department of human services or any other agency licensed by the
state to conduct a social investigation and to prepare a social
report which may include any evidence provided by an individual
providing foster care for the child. A report prepared shall include
any founded reports of child abuse.
2. The social investigation may be conducted and the social
history may be submitted to the court prior to the adjudication of
the child as a child in need of assistance with the consent of the
parties.
3. The social report shall not be disclosed except as provided in
this section and except as otherwise provided in this chapter. Prior
to the hearing at which the disposition is determined, the court
shall permit counsel for the child, counsel for the child's parent,
guardian, or custodian, and the guardian ad litem to inspect any
social report to be considered by the court. The court may in its
discretion order counsel not to disclose parts of the report to the
child, or to the parent, guardian, or custodian if disclosure would
seriously harm the treatment or rehabilitation of the child or would
violate a promise of confidentiality given to a source of
information. If the report indicates the child has behaved in a
manner that threatened the safety of another person, has committed a
violent act causing bodily injury to another person, or has been a
victim or perpetrator of sexual abuse, unless otherwise ordered by
the court, the child's parent, guardian, or foster parent or other
person with custody of the child shall be provided with that
information. Section History: Early Form
[C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, § 232.14; C79, 81, § 232.97] Section History: Recent Form
83 Acts, ch 96, § 157, 159; 83 Acts, ch 186, § 10055, 10201; 84
Acts, ch 1279, § 14; 86 Acts, ch 1186, § 9; 2005 Acts, ch 124, §4