§ 115C-382.  Investigation of indigency.

If affidavit shall be made by the parent of a child or by any other person that any child who is required to attend school under G.S. 115C-378 is not able to attend school by reason of necessity to work or labor for the support of himself or the support of the family, then the school social worker shall diligently inquire into the matter and bring it to the attention of some court allowed by law to act as a juvenile court, and said court shall proceed to find whether as a matter of fact such parents, or persons standing in loco parentis, are unable to send said child to school for the term of compulsory attendance for the reasons given. If the court shall find, after careful investigation, that the parents have made or are making bona fide effort to comply with the compulsory attendance law, and by reason of illness, lack of earning capacity, or any other cause which the court may deem valid and sufficient, are unable to send said child to school, then the court shall find and state what help is needed for the family to enable compliance with the attendance law. The court shall transmit its findings to the director of social services of the county or city in which the case may arise for such social services officer's consideration and action. (1955, c. 1372, art. 20, s. 6; 1961, c. 186; 1963, c. 1223, s. 10; 1969, c. 982; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1985, c. 686, s. 4; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 769, s. 3.)