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Dcfs has requested termination of services on my fd. The bm was given 18 mos services and was not currently participating in any of them. DCFS requested termination of fr services. The judge granted it and set a .26 hearing for 120 days. At the same time he offered bm unmonitored visits to be done in a public place. Why would he set a .26 hearing then give unmonitored visits? Seems like a big risk to me. Any thoughts?
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My FD has had RU services with both bios for OVER 3 years until earlier this year, and the court is still riding the fence. Visits have been monitored and therapist said they are not in fd best interests and yet they (the court) still dances on a pin for bios.
Today, was supposed to be the TPR hearing after a four month continuance. Guess what? She was in and out in five mins. Her sw is supposed to call me at 2pm to tell me what is up, but fd says her lawyer says she is coming back later. :sigh: Every time she has to go to court its stressful for her, I just wish they would stop dropping the ball on all these kids and get it together.
How is this in any way in the best interest of the child?
Sorry for the rant. :takes deep breath:
Just to up update everyone... She's had one or two unmonitored visits. She's missed several visits. She's missed several drug tests and given cold urine for other tests. She just get kicked out of her home for suspected drug use. Court is in four weeks. Am I being unrealistic to think she might actually be terminated? By next month, it'll be 23 months since my niece has been in care. She's 27 months old.
im in ca too and i am learning that after all these years of fostering that i am starting to wonder how "in the best interest" they are of the children. It does seem the will RU no matter what.....you do most of the visits and thats about it and you will get your kids back. Never mind the quality of the visits...always late, leaving early, not changing diapers, etc, preggo again, no job no car, etc. I have been told that its all about the money or the county's part...meeting that quoata! I am getting so over it... they want us as foster parents to take these children that have had unfortunate circumstances, love them as they were our own, fix behaviors, give them stability & security, for months or even years then just because they did most of the visits and they are bios they send them back home to the hell they left? Just sayin.....doesn't make sense to me.
jlking
im in ca too and i am learning that after all these years of fostering that i am starting to wonder how "in the best interest" they are of the children. It does seem the will RU no matter what.....you do most of the visits and thats about it and you will get your kids back. Never mind the quality of the visits...always late, leaving early, not changing diapers, etc, preggo again, no job no car, etc. I have been told that its all about the money or the county's part...meeting that quoata! I am getting so over it... they want us as foster parents to take these children that have had unfortunate circumstances, love them as they were our own, fix behaviors, give them stability & security, for months or even years then just because they did most of the visits and they are bios they send them back home to the hell they left? Just sayin.....doesn't make sense to me.
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DancingQueen
Most of your 'kids' seemed to have ru'd or moved rather quickly. My niece has been in foster since 4 months old. Five months in a foster home and almost 17 months with me. Next month is the 26 hearing. Her mom has been kicked out of at least five places most currently a couple of days ago for drugs. I am hoping this is it. Almost two years in care is ridiculous for a child this young.
Update: mothers attorney contested and it is now set for end of December for a contested .26. Mom has been kicked out of two more places due to suspected drug use and has been fired from her part time job. She has had a total of one unmonitored visit because she has not been testing. By the next hearing, the child will have been in care two years, and she's not even 2 1/2.
UGH! I feel for you and I suspect we will be in the same place next month. Mom will certainly contest the .26 and yet another date will be set. I will be watching to see what your contested .26 hearing looks like and what happens next. I am sorry this is all taking so long. Your little one won't know the difference, but it takes a toll on everyone.
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Mom was going to out patient drug rehab 5 days a week and lived in a home that was helping her at the six month point. At the 12 month hearing she was in jail for drug use so it got postponed to a combined 12/18 month hearing where sw recommended termination of services. Mom contested so another date was set and services were terminated and .26 set. Then the .26 hearing came along and was also contested. So next hearing is the contested .26. Hopefully this is it.
Well the contested 26 is coming up in a couple of weeks. I'm stressing out. I've been reading on these boards about continuances etc. Why would something like this be continued? Other than they ran out of time that day. There shouldn't be any witnesses for the mom other than herself. And Dcfs insists they are going forward with the termination.
DancingQueen
Well the contested 26 is coming up in a couple of weeks. I'm stressing out. I've been reading on these boards about continuances etc. Why would something like this be continued? Other than they ran out of time that day. There shouldn't be any witnesses for the mom other than herself. And Dcfs insists they are going forward with the termination.
She's done nothing. Hasn't been looking for a job. Has no money for a place to live. Hasn't resumed drug testing. Has only had the one unmonitored back in August. Her atty doesn't seem like he's helping her much. Court is less than two weeks away. The sw and her supervisor said she's been nothing but rude and argumentative with them also.
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Update: termination finally happened a couple of weeks ago. My sister was in jail over two months and was released just few days before her hearing (which was rescheduled twice because she was transferred back and forth to different jails for warrants and they couldn't get her removed for the hearing). Anyhow it was a ten minute hearing. Her lawyer didn't call her to testify and there were no other parties there except my husband and I. He ordered termination of her and any and all fathers. And visitation is at our discretion. If she appeals, how long will it take? What will happen with visitation? When can we expect to finalize? Thanks.
Congrats on termination, it sounds like that really was the best move for everyone to move forward in life.
As for appeals and finalization, CA has a 60 day appeal period for parents. You can file for adoption but you won't be able to finalize until after all appeals are cleared.
We recently learned that after the .26 hearing the judge has to finalize the order and send it to the state for acknowledgement which takes about 2-3 weeks. You would then have to sign DCFS' formal adoptive placement paperwork which takes another 2 weeks or so. DCFS then has to do at least one post-adoptive placement visit. I've heard of a family that finalized 30 days after signing adoptive placement papers but they had their own lawyer and a very attentive DCFS staff.
An appeal adds another 6-9 months to the process. The good news is that appeals are fast-tracked. The bad news is that in CA fast-track is pretty slow. Good luck!