Below are some commonly asked questions pertaining to the guardianship of minor children. The custodian, sometimes called a property guardian, is in charge of a minor child's inheritance until they reach a certain age. If one custodial parent, however, becomes incapacitated, then the appointment of a guardian may become appropriate. Legal guardians have custody of the children and the authority to make decisions concerning the protection, education, care, discipline, etc. We though this meant that if something happened to our parents, we’d go and live with them. However, the terms of guardianship vs. adoption vary greatly, as do the legal rights awarded to adoptive parents vs. guardians and the situations in which each solution is appropriate. Both parents of a child have equal rights and responsibilities, but when they are not living together, specific rights and responsibilities may be given to one parent, either by court order or agreement between the parents. Both adoptive parents and legal guardians can provide the care, support and stability a child needs. A legal guardian may be appointed for a child or for an adult who is deemed incompetent. An adult may ask the Juvenile Court to appoint a legal guardian for a child when neither parent is given to a guardian; To deal with legal matters on behalf of the child; To appoint someone to act on the guardian’s behalf in an emergency situation, when the guardian is ill or absent; To receive health or educational information about the child; To exercise any other power that may be necessary to carry out the guardian’s responsibilities. Guardianship is governed by the Children Act 1989. But in my opinion, when all is said and done, the child is much better off with you as his legal guardian. to act as guardian of a child; and to contribute to the maintenance of a child. Sometimes a parent is not necessarily your legal guardian. Although the legal standard to establish a custodial relationship or guardianship is whether such a relationship is in the ‘best interest of the child,’ if a parent has a custodial relationship with a child, courts will generally not appoint a legal guardian. A legal guardian will assume all of the responsibilities that a parent would have, such as providing financial and emotional support for the child. The guardian will have the legal right to take care of the child as well as the right to make important decisions in their life. The law says guardians have "parental responsibilities" for their children. Guardianship of a Minor Courts may appoint an adult guardian to care for a minor, who is not the child of the adult. By law this person must be of major age. A guardian, on the other hand, does not become the legal parent of the child in perpetuity as would occur in an adoption, but does take on more responsibility for a child than occurs in a foster parent relationship. First, KLG does not terminate parental rights. The biological parents are still legally recognized as the child’s parents even if the child is living with a guardian. If your mother is deceased or does not have custody and you live with your father, then he is your legal guardian. Reasons for Legal Guardian Appointment. This means that the biological parent(s) will still have the opportunity to visit the child. The respondent must be given a copy of the petition, notified of the hearing and advised of his or her legal rights. For adult protected persons, this means they have the right to have contact with their parents, children, siblings, and other important people.This includes the right to receive visits, telephone calls, email, and mail. 1 decade ago. In Massachusetts, the law allows a parent or guardian, without court intervention, to appoint a short-term emergency proxy of a minor. Legal Guardianship vs. A legal parent or guardian is integral to the proper care of a child. Legal mother. Like if your parents died. For most parents the choice will be a relative or trusted friend. Legal guardianship gives the adult guardian the rights and responsibilities to take care of the child. Neither legal guardians nor foster parents are considered parents by the FAFSA, so you don't have to list their financial information on the FAFSA. They provide the child with the basic necessities required to survive, and ensure that the child is receiving a proper education. 1 0. altaira. Lv 7. When parents are absent or considered unfit to serve the role of guardian due to illness, jail time, or death, another person who is not a parent must be appointed to do so. Choosing Kinship Legal Guardianship has a number of benefits for both the child and the caregiver. A guardian is given the legal authority to make important decisions about the child’s future. In some instances it may be necessary for a minor to live with a legal guardian other than their parents. The law protects the rights of the respondent (person for who guardianship is being sought). As the guardian, you cannot change the child’s name. A child’s legal mother is: the woman who gave birth to the child. Legal parents have a family relationship to the child by law, but do not need to be related by blood, for example in the case of an adopted child. The father entered drug court, successfully completing the program a year later. Findlaw's guardianship page provides helpful resources if you want to know more about the process. Guardianship vs. Parental Rights. A guardian of a child is someone who looks after a child if their parent or carer dies. However, there may be services that he can get as a foster child that he may not be able to get under a legal guardianship. A legal guardian assumes many of the responsibilities of a legal parent, including basic provisions such as food and housing. Guardianship is not adoption. Both parents, the child protective services agency, and the county attorney waived any notice or participation in further proceedings at that time and the agency closed its case file. Apart from the basic needs such as food, shelter, health care and most importantly, a loving and caring environment, there are other considerations. A legal guardian is an individual who legally assumes the responsibility of providing another person with care and support. They are given guardianship. Is guardianship the same as adoption? In your area, what are the major differences in authority and responsibility between someone who is appointed a legal guardian for a child versus someone who actually finalizes an adoption? Parents can be guardians, but a guardianship is often set up because a minor child needs someone else to make legal decisions for them. The main difference … For example, when parents have split up, one parent can’t simply decide to move with the child to a different city and ignore what the other parent wants. Note: Because parents are usually joint guardians together, this means one parent can’t make important decisions about the child on their own. Guardianship is a legal term, denoting when someone is appointed by a court order to be the legal guardian of a minor. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A biological parent is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male through the sperm, and a female through the ovum. Legal guardians have the legal authority to make decisions for their ward and represent their ward's personal and financial interests. Education for Your Children: Will they need to change schools or change their form of schooling e.g. Guardianships can either be temporary or permanent. However, parents do not relinquish their parental rights. Understanding the Role and Responsibility of a Custodian. In a guardianship, parents retain their parental rights and responsibilities. A mother or other concerned adult may petition the court for appointment of a guardian for her minor child; however, the establishment of a guardianship does not terminate the mother’s parental rights. The parent or guardian is the only person that can make medical decisions, enroll children in school and make other legal decisions on behalf of the child. Guardianship vs Custody. What is the difference between adoption and guardianship? Guardians take over parental responsibilities for making decisions regarding housing, medical care, and education, among other matters, for as long as the guardianship remains in effect. Parents Parents of a child are guardians by default—they have the responsibility of protecting and defending their children. This may include decisions about their education, medical needs, shelter and more. The spouse, parents (if living), siblings and adult children of the respondent must be notified, or three living relatives if none of the above exist. Visitation A person who has a guardian still has the right to visit and communicate with important people in their lives. Adoption: The Differences While both adoption and guardianship provide a stable parent to a child in need, the intended length and legal consequences of each process vary to two different extremes. Parents often expect a guardian to eventually adopt the children, thus transferring them from being wards of the guardian to being the children of the adoptive parent. Guardians of the estate, however, are responsible for a person’s estate, including their … Often this is done for temporary purposes. However, it does not sever the biological parents’ legal relationship with the child. There are many situations that would warrant the authorization of a legal guardian. Oftentimes, schools refuse to enroll students if they are not living with a parent or legal guardian. Both legal guardians and adoptive parents have the right to consent to medical treatment for the child. A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. Legal guardianship can help the caregiver attend to the child's medical and educational needs. Guardians and Parental Rights. Guardians of the person are those individuals who are entrusted with the actual care of the ward; similar to the manner in which an adoptive parent cares for their adopted child. A legal guardian has rightful control and can make decisions on behalf of the child, but the child will also maintain a legal connection with his or her birth parents.? Yes, he is your legal guardian. Guardianship is a legal relationship between an adult and the child in their care. Biological parents are first-degree relatives and have 50% genetic meet. Guardianship is least invasive for a parent to release care of their child. The children’s guardian ad litem petitioned to appoint the paternal grandparents as guardians. In the case where a court assigns one, the guardian will have custody of the child. Essentially, if a biological parent is deemed by the courts to be unable to take care of a child, all of the rights and privileges of a biological parent are transferred to the appointed guardian. In the event that the child needs medical treatment, the guardian, like a parent with legal custody, can consent to medical treatment for the child. (I also remember thinking that living with our cousins sounded very exciting, not quite realizing what would have occurred to make that necessary.) Legal Guardian vs. Adoptive Parent? As for whether it is better to be a legal guardian vs a foster parent, in terms of stability, the child is better off under a legal guardianship. Choosing a Legal Guardian. Differences Between Custody and Guardianship. However, adoption is not required. If the parents of a child are no longer able to provide … If your parents are still married and you live full time with them, then either parent is your legal guardian. The proxy must also sign the instrument although he or she is not required to sign at the same time as the parent or guardian. Legal guardianship is assigned by a court, such as the family court, according to state laws. As a guardian, the designated person can authorize medical care, make educational decisions, and care for the day-to-day needs of the child. It must be done by a written instrument signed in front of at least two witnesses who are 18 years of age or older.