When are the biological parents notified?

*sigh* All these definite answers to an indefinite question...

It depends on where you live, and the circumstances.

In most states:

Once a parent's rights are terminated (unless there is some sort of agreement with the courts - which is VERY rare) it means they are (legally) no longer the parent of the child. They have NO rights to the child. Including information about the kid. Even if the child dies.

MOST foster parents are good people, and will let the biological parents know on their own, but if their rights have been terminated, no one has to let them know.

In a few states:

Biological parents whose rights have been terminated are informed of a child's death within 72 hours.

In other countries:

The laws vary a LOT.

For children in foster care when the parents' rights have NOT been terminated:

In most states, the biological parents must be informed right away (within 24 hours, or in some states, less)

In a few states: it's within 72 hours.

There are NO states where they are not required to inform biological parents whose rights have not been terminated.

If you want specifics, you'll have to provide specifics.

And this is a really bad place to do your research ;)

Most people unless they are total scumbags will settle on some sort of contact agreement along with a termination of rights. If a child died the bio parents or mother are always notified within 72 hours. An attempt is always made to locate them. If the child has been adopted and the adoption is closed there is no notification.

You won't find anything online because each agency and jurisdiction has their own requirements.

Technically, children in Foster Care still "belong" to the bio parents, they are just in foster care under various types of court orders. As a result the parents must be notified and common sense and decency dictate that they should be notified as soon as possible. Most likely a social worker and/or senior administrator from the agency would deliver the news.

Actually most states refuse to terminate parental rights until an adoptive family is lined up...otherwise the state is making virtual orphans.

It varies by area...I'm sure it would be in person & most likely the police or case workers plus supervisors.