California Foster Care

In a variety of situations, children are unable to live with their biological parents. In some cases, this is due to criminal charges, abuse allegations, or health problems. In these cases, children are placed in the foster care system so that they continue to receive care and supervision from adults.

Foster care is a system that has been developed to provide care for children who are unable to live with their parents for whatever reason. It provides stand-in “parents” who are able to care for a minor child or children. It also works for teenagers who have been removed from their birth parents or other custodial adults by state authority.

When a child is placed in foster care, the responsibility for the youth’s well-being and care is assumed by the relevant governmental authority and the foster family. In some cases, a parent can voluntarily place a child in foster care. Foster care is supposed to be a short term solution on the way to determining a permanent plan or home for the child.

There are three general paths of permanent living for a child. The first one, and the optimal one at that, is reunification with the biological parent. The next best option is the conversion of the foster home into a legally-permanent guardianship or adoption. The third option is placing the child into another legally permanent family.

Children in foster care are monitored by the state until the birth family is able to provide appropriate care or gives up the rights to the child. Once the rights of the parents are signed away, the child can be adopted.

Contact a San Jose Family Lawyer

If you are interested in adopting through the foster care system, contact the San Jose family lawyers of the Law Office of Daniel Jensen at 408-296-4100.