Department of Social Welfare v. County of Kern

Petitioner, Department of Social Welfare of the State of California, seeks by mandamus to compel Kern County to grant aid to needy children and their caretaker regardless of the caretaker’s eligibility to general relief. The solution of the1 case rests upon the interpretation of the statutory provisions for aid to needy children (Welf. & Inst. Code, §§ 1500-1580) and the rules adopted by the department pursuant thereto. ......... .

We are concerned here only with needy children who do not receive institutional care. Needy children are described in section 1500 of the Welfare and Institutions…