In order to improve standards of child care, the state department shall cooperate with the governing boards of child welfare agencies, assist the staffs of such agencies through advice on progressive methods and procedures of child care and improvement of the service rendered, and assist in the development of community plans of child care. The state department of health, or its duly authorized agent, may visit any child welfare agency to advise the agency on matters affecting the health of children and to inspect the sanitation of the buildings used for their care. Each child welfare agency shall keep such records regarding each child under its control and care as the state department may prescribe, and shall report to the department, whenever requested, such facts as may be required with reference to such children, upon blanks furnished by the department. All records regarding children and all facts learned about children and their parents or relatives shall be regarded as confidential and shall be properly safeguarded by the agency and the state department.
The Department of Health and Human Resources may require any juvenile committed to its legal custody to remain at and to return to the residence to which the juvenile is assigned by the department or by the juvenile court. In aid of that authority, and upon request of a designated employee of the department, any police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, or juvenile court probation officer is authorized to take the juvenile into custody and return the juvenile to his or her place of residence or into the custody of a designated employee of the department.
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