NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-505 (2026)

Placement while in nonsecure custody

✓ current as of July 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section NCLEGncleg.gov (official) JustiaChapter 7B CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

(a) A juvenile meeting the criteria set out in G.S. 7B-503 may be placed in nonsecure custody with the department of social services or a person designated in the order, including the parent from whom the juvenile was not removed. The department with placement responsibility is authorized to place the juvenile for temporary residential placement in any of the following:

(1) A licensed foster home or a home otherwise authorized by law to provide such care.

(2) A facility operated by the department of social services.

(2a) A facility licensed to provide care to juveniles.

(3) Any other home or facility, including the home of a parent, relative, nonrelative kin, or other person with legal custody of a sibling of the juvenile, approved by the court and designated in the order.

The department shall not place a juvenile in any unlicensed facility or any facility that is not licensed to provide care for juveniles without the sanction of the court and so designated in the order prior to such placement being made.

(a1) If juvenile siblings are removed from the home and placed in the nonsecure custody of a county department of social services, the director shall make reasonable efforts to place the juvenile siblings in the same home. The director is not required to make reasonable efforts under this subsection if the director documents that placing the juvenile siblings would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the juvenile siblings. If, after making reasonable efforts, the director is unable to place the juvenile siblings in the same home, the director shall make reasonable efforts to provide frequent sibling visitation and ongoing interaction between the juvenile siblings, unless the director documents that frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction between the juvenile siblings would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the juvenile siblings.

(b) The court shall order the department of social services to make diligent efforts to notify relatives and other persons with legal custody of a sibling of the juvenile that the juvenile is in nonsecure custody and of any hearings scheduled to occur pursuant to G.S. 7B-506, unless the court finds the notification would be contrary to the best interests of the juvenile. The department of social services shall use due diligence to identify and notify adult relatives and other persons with legal custody of a sibling of the juvenile within 30 days after the initial order removing custody. The department shall file with the court information regarding attempts made to identify and notify adult relatives of the juvenile and persons with legal custody of a sibling of the juvenile. In placing a juvenile in nonsecure custody under this section, the court shall first consider whether a relative of the juvenile is willing and able to provide proper care and supervision of the juvenile in a safe home. If the court finds that the relative is willing and able to provide proper care and supervision in a safe home, then the court shall order placement of the juvenile with the relative unless the court finds that placement with the relative would be contrary to the best interests of the juvenile.

(c) If the court does not place the juvenile with a relative, the court may consider whether nonrelative kin or other persons with legal custody of a sibling of the juvenile are willing and able to provide proper care and supervision of the juvenile in a safe home. The court may order the department to notify the juvenile's State-recognized tribe of the need for nonsecure custody for the purpose of locating relatives or nonrelative kin for placement. The court may order placement of the juvenile with nonrelative kin if the court finds the placement is in the juvenile's best interests.

(c1) If the court does not place the juvenile with a relative, the court may consider whether an appropriate former foster parent, nonrelative kin, or other persons with legal custody of a sibling of the juvenile are willing and able to provide proper care and supervision of the juvenile in a safe home. The court may order the department to notify the juvenile's State-recognized tribe of the need for nonsecure custody for the purpose of locating relatives or nonrelative kin for placement. The court may order placement of the juvenile with nonrelative kin if the court finds the placement is in the juvenile's best interests.

(d) In placing a juvenile in nonsecure custody under this section, the court shall also consider whether it is in the juvenile's best interest to remain in the juvenile's community of residence. In placing a juvenile in nonsecure custody under this section, the court shall consider the Indian Child Welfare Act, Pub. L. No. 95-608, 25 U.S.C. §§ 1901, et seq., as amended, and the Howard M. Metzenbaum Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-382, 108 Stat. 4056, as amended, as they may apply. Placement of a juvenile with a relative outside of this State must be in accordance with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, Article 38 of this Chapter. (1979, c. 815, s. 1; 1983, c. 639, ss. 1, 2; 1997-390, s. 4; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 1998-202, s. 6; 1998-229, ss. 3, 20; 1999-456, s. 60; 2002-164, s. 4.7; 2013-129, s. 13; 2015-135, s. 2.2; 2015-136, s. 4; 2017-161, s. 5; 2021-100, s. 3; 2021-132, s. 1(d); 2025-16, s. 1.11(c).)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 11 cases, 2004–2019 · leading case: In re L.L., 616 S.E.2d 392 (N.C. Ct. App. 2005).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

In re L.L., 616 S.E.2d 392 (N.C. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 4× “Consistent with that requirement, N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-505 (2003) (emphasis added) specifically requires that the trial court in entering a nonsecure custody order for placement outside the home " shall first consider whether a relative of the juvenile is willing and able to…”

In re A.S., 693 S.E.2d 659 (N.C. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “An example of one provision is contained in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-505 (2009), which provides that in entering a custody order or other order for placement outside the home, the court “shall first consider whether a relative of the juvenile is willing and able to provide proper…”

In re J.E., 643 S.E.2d 70 (N.C. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 2× “Each of those statutes specifically provides that "`[p]lacement of a juvenile with a relative outside of this State must be in accordance with the Interstate Compact[.”

In Re Ll, 616 S.E.2d 392 (N.C. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 4× “Consistent with that requirement, N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-505 (2003) (emphasis added) specifically requires that the trial court in entering a nonsecure custody order for placement outside the home " shall first consider whether a relative of the juvenile is willing and able to…”

In Re As, 693 S.E.2d 659 (N.C. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “An example of one provision is contained in N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-505 (2009), which provides that in entering a custody order or other order for placement outside the home, the court "shall first consider whether a relative of the juvenile is willing and able to provide proper…”

In Re Acf, 626 S.E.2d 729 (N.C. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 2× “, N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-505 (2005) (Place of nonsecure custody); N.”

In Re Je, 643 S.E.2d 70 (N.C. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 2× “The statutes governing the instant case are N.C. Gen.Stat. §§ 7B-600 and 7B-907, neither of which make reference to the Compact.”

In re B.L., 824 S.E.2d 927 (N.C. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “§ 7B-903(a1), the trial court must give priority to an available relative whenever it places a juvenile in "out-of-home care," including periods in which the juvenile is in the custody of the local department of social services pursuant to N.”

In re A.C.F., 626 S.E.2d 729 (2006). “, N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-505 (2005) (Place of nonsecure custody); N.”

In Re Sh, 600 S.E.2d 520 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 2× “in the custody of his father, as authorized by G.S. § 7B-505; and (3) establishes a court date for an adjudicatory hearing.”

In Re Sh, 600 S.E.2d 520 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 2× “Instead, as regards A.K., the order (1) makes findings of fact and conclusions of law related to G.”

— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-505(3) — 1 case

In Re As, 693 S.E.2d 659 (N.C. Ct. App. 2010). “An example of one provision is contained in N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-505 (2009), which provides that in entering a custody order or other order for placement outside the home, the court "shall first consider whether a relative of the juvenile is willing and able to provide proper…”

— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-505(b) — 1 case

In re B.L., 824 S.E.2d 927 (N.C. Ct. App. 2019). “§ 7B-903(a1), the trial court must give priority to an available relative whenever it places a juvenile in "out-of-home care," including periods in which the juvenile is in the custody of the local department of social services pursuant to N.”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.