Vs

SUMMARY

The appellants successfully pursued an administrative and ordinary mandamus action for benefits beyond an initial 180-day period pursuant to the Los Angeles County Aid to Families with Dependent Children—Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program while their great nieces and nephew were in their care. They had also sought an ordinary writ of mandate compelling Cliff Allenby, interim director of the State Department of Social Services (DSS) at the time, to direct DSS’s agents to take action pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 16507.6 within 180 days so that others similarly situated would not lose entitlement to federal foster care funding for children in voluntary placement. Because we agree that the trial court should have expanded its ruling to mandate DSS compliance with the law, we reverse.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL SYNOPSIS

V.S. and J.S. are the great aunt and great uncle of siblings R.R., E.J. and C.J. On July 9, 2003, J.J. (the children’s mother) and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) signed a voluntary placement agreement authorizing DCFS to place the children with the great aunt and great uncle for 180 days while the…