What my research told me

- Termination may be voluntary or involuntary. Birth parents who wish to place child up for adoption may voluntarily relinquish rights. When the state decides a set of parents are unfit the state requires a court to
       * determine by clear, convincing evidence the [parents unfit
       * determine whether severing the parent child relationship is in child's best interest
- most common statuary grounds for parental unfitness:
    * severe or chronic abuse or neglect
    * abuse/neglect of other children in household
    * abandonment
    * long term mental illness or deficiency of parents
    * long term alcohol or drug induced incapacity of parents
    * failure to support/maintain contact with child
    * involuntary termination of rights of parent to another child
- A dispositional hearing decides the custody of the child. The court may return custody to the parent with certain conditions and requirements, place the child in the custody of Social Services (foster care), or place the child with a relative.
- When a child is placed in permanent foster care she/he is placed with a specific family and the child cannot be moved from that placement without a court order. “Permanent foster care” status gives the foster parents expanded authority in decision-making in a child’s life such as,

    * Medical decisions
    * Military service
    * Marriage
    * Motor vehicle and driver’s licensing, Application to college
    * Other activities requiring parental consent