Any agency wishing to use the name or photograph of a youth in Children’s Division care and custody must notify the youth’s Children’s Service Worker and receive expressed consent from the youth. The Children’s Service Worker shall discuss the public performance or media involvement request with the youth and discuss his/her feelings about the specific request.  Depending on the life experience, and the emotional, cognitive and behavioral capacities of youth, each may benefit from various levels of guidance to make a decision about their name of photograph’s use in media materials. Importantly, the Children’s Service Worker shall explain to the youth that their participation in the public performance or media involvement is strictly voluntary. If the youth expresses interest, and wants to participate in the specific request, they may sign their own release form and participate.    

 Under no circumstances are CD staff authorized to sign a general release form to photograph a youth without the expressed consent of the youth themselves. Furthermore, CD staff shall not share personal identifying information with the media relating to a youth’s case.