A.  The court shall permit a permanency hearing to be held in the absence of a parent if it is established on the record that the parent was served but is not in attendance or that efforts to serve the parent have been unsuccessful.

B.  If reunification with the absent parent is the case plan goal, the department shall make continuing diligent efforts to locate the absent parent and notify him of the nature and outcome of the dispositional review hearing and shall promptly inform the court of any known or discovered address.  Otherwise, the department shall promptly inform the court of any new address of an absent parent that becomes known through the case planning process.

Acts 1991, No. 235, §6, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1999, No. 449, §1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 2006, No. 248, §1.