California Findings and Orders After 18-Month Permanency Hearing

You should file a form called the JV-180 Request to Change Court Order for important issues that need to be addressed immediately. Specifically, the JV-180 is appropriate when: An immediate hearing is required. Circumstances have changed or there is new evidence that you can offer to the judge.

When a parent's rights are terminated, it legally separates the child from the parent completely. The parent then no longer has any right to visitation or custody. Typically, they do not pay child support either.

Once reunification services are terminated, the focus shifts to the needs of the child for permanency and stability. At this hearing, the court can terminate parental rights if the child is likely to be adopted.The preference of the law is that a child be freed for adoption.

Permanency hearings are held to decide if progress is being made on a case plan. If there is progress a judge can offer parent(s) a continuance to continue working toward RU (typically another 3 or 6 months, then they'd have another permanency hearing).

Upon termination of parental rights, the biological parent(s) no longer has any legal rights to a child. This is a permanent situation. Termination can be voluntary or involuntary (via court order).

Terminate family reunification means that the social services agency will no longer seek to reunify the parent with the children. The court can either follow the recommendation or continue reunification.

Overall, there are typically more than one permanency hearing in a CPS case, however. About four months after the first permanency hearing, the second permanency hearing is typically the occasion on which you can expect to hear from the judge on whether your child can be returned to your home on a permanent basis.

Family Reunification Ordered The length of Family Reunification Services is typically 6 to 12 months but can be extended to as much as 24 months.