Question about Child Protective Services and custody in California?
I have a cousin whose son was removed from her custody when he was 1 day old because she tested positive for Meth. He was in a foster care home for a month and then our Aunt was given temporary custody while my cousin attended drug rehab, etc. My cousin completed the rehab program and was doing quite well for a while. She even got a job for a short period. But when the baby's father went to jail she seemed to lose interest in getting the baby back. She was fired from her job for not showing up. She had a dirty drug test and has cancelled numerous visitation appointments because she said she was ill. At the last custody hearing the judge opted not to change anything as far as custody for the next 6 months. The baby is now 14 months old and has been with my Aunt for a year. I hear that the goal of the courts in Ca is to reunite the mother and baby. My cousin gave up her rights to 2 other children but seems to want this one because the baby's father does. Do you think she'll get custody?
chances are kinda bad… for one thing it seem your aunt has 1. no self control 2. repeated mistakes 3. Only want the baby since the father wants it in my opinion it wont happen even though it is true they dont want to care for a kid anymore than the next guy they wont hand over a kid to some deluded parents -_- one taht went to jail and one that toke drugs unless you show them some self restraint on their own part on STOP TAKING DRUGS ONCE AND FOR ALL from what i heard that is most likely not to happen =(
July 14th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
good god let's hope not
References :
July 14th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
I hope not. Have your aunt's lawyer subpeona her previous job for a record of why she was fired and demand she take a drug test.
References :
July 14th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
chances are kinda bad… for one thing it seem your aunt has 1. no self control 2. repeated mistakes 3. Only want the baby since the father wants it in my opinion it wont happen even though it is true they dont want to care for a kid anymore than the next guy they wont hand over a kid to some deluded parents -_- one taht went to jail and one that toke drugs unless you show them some self restraint on their own part on STOP TAKING DRUGS ONCE AND FOR ALL from what i heard that is most likely not to happen =(
References :
July 14th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Well, if your cousin wants to ever get the child back she needs to get on it NOW. The child has already been in care for 12 months. Due to the the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA), if a child is in foster care for 15 out of the most recent 22 months, the permanency goal is changed from reunification to adoption, or other out of home placement. The mother's rights will again be terminated if this happens. The good news is that your aunt (provided she is willing) would likely be able to adopt or be permanent legal custodian of the baby. The fact that your cousin already had rights terminated on two other children will be two strikes against her (if they were terminated involuntarily). She is three months away from the 15 month mark, so she needs to make some big changes if she wants to be reunified with the baby. The courts can (and usually will) extend the 15 months if mom changes what she's been doing and is doing everything they require. She really needs to prove herself at this point and get everything straight in her life in order to keep her child.
References :
Child welfare worker