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I am not a licensed Foster Care mother yet, however I am involved in a non-relative placement. The baby was born drug exposed to crack-cocaine. The birth mom lost rights temporarily and the baby was placed with the grandmother. In the meanwhile, the birth mom was put on a reunification plan that included a 6 month plan. To date (almost two months) she has been non-compliant. She is not been able to provide 2 negative UA's.
I was just wondering if anyone has been through a similar situation. I'd like to know the possibility that the Judge at the next hearing (Permanency) that he/she will petition to TPR on the grounds of material breach of the case plan. Even is she started today there is no way that she could complete it within 6months.
Also, since I am the prospective adoptive parent I want to get a feel of how soon the baby can be placed with me. She is only staying with the grandmother until birth mom's TPR.
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A 6 month plan is usually only the beginning. The law can give them up to 2 yrs and so much depends on a variety of factors including the state, county, judge, etc. The following is not an absolute, but the norm for where I live)If the parents have not done anything on their plan within the 6 months, the judge can grant an extension of 6 more months, but that is based on many factors as well, or he can order the next hearing will be for termination of rights. If the parent so some on the plan, their attorney can ask for another extension which sometimes is granted when drug abuse is involved due to rehab, random clean tests or a series of clean tests, etc. It's so convoluted. I know this sounds crazy, but the state will do everything it can to make sure the law is followed so that when rights are terminated, the parents can't come back and say they weren't given every opportunity to work a plan and get their child back. Sometimes, the state is able to get the parents to voluntarily signing their rights over instead of having to go a year or more to do it.
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