Understanding Reunification Services in Juvenile Dependency Proceedings

Unlike many criminal and civil proceedings, juvenile dependency cases rely heavily on something that is known as family reunification services. Under California and federal law, the government must use reasonable efforts in reuniting the child to their family. As a part of those efforts, the court and Child Protective Services (CPS) will use a variety of therapies and programs to make the child’s home life a safe, supportive environment. To learn more about reunification services in juvenile dependency court, read on.

When it comes to juvenile dependency court, you don’t have to spend a lot of time searching for “how to get my child back from CPS in California.” From your first interaction with CPS, you should generally have a good understanding of the problem. If your child is removed by CPS, you have a right to know why you’re being investigated. CPS may tell you the cause upfront. If they don’t you are allowed to ask.

As your case progresses, you’ll be informed about reunification services in juvenile dependency court. While each case is different, the following steps are normally involved in the process. If you are unsure about what to do in your case, you can always talk to a parental rights attorney about the best options for your situation.

The court’s first goal is to provide for the safety and well-being of the child. If there are any concerns left after the parent has completed reunification services, the court will listen to these concerns before allowing the child to return home.

Before the reinstatement of parental rights, you’ll have to go through multiple important steps. At juvenile dependency court, you will be given a case plan to work with CPS. This case plan will include all the expectations, therapy requirements, and programs you need to regain custody.

Unless it is not in the child’s best interest, the court will generally allow you to have visitation with your child. The judge can also decide to give you supervised visitation.

It is important to take advantage of your visitation options during your case. Besides allowing you to see your child, visitation helps you prove to the court that you want to regain custody and are willing to put in the work in order to do so.

You will likely have detention, jurisdiction, disposition, and review hearings during your case. It is important to attend all of these hearings. In addition to showing your commitment to the case, court attendance also helps you understand the court’s expectations and timeline.

The court has a legal obligation to give the child permanency in their home life. Because of this, any child that has been in foster care for at least 15 of the last 22 months will be put up for adoption or found a permanent placement with a relative. In general, your 18-month hearing is when the court will make a permanent decision about the child’s case.

While you can file for the reinstatement of parental rights afterward, it is generally an uphill battle. You’ll need professional legal help if you want to appeal termination of parental rights in California because there are few cases where the court returns the child to the parent’s custody after the parental rights have been terminated.

Each case is unique. The type of reunification services you receive will depend on what needs to be changed in your family’s home life. Often, juvenile dependency court includes one or more of the following services in the CPS case plan.

• Addiction rehabilitation
• Medication or therapy for mental disorders
• Housing assistance
• Parenting classes
• Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous Meetings
• Job training
• Rehabilitation services

By taking advantage of reunification services in juvenile dependency court, you can increase the likelihood of getting your child back. These services are included in your case plan and are a requirement for regaining custody. To learn more about family reunification and get help defending yourself against CPS, reach out to our lawyers today.