The Detention Hearing

The initial hearing in the juvenile dependency process is also called the Detention Hearing. At this hearing, the social worker presents a report that provides evidence and explains how and why the family came to the attention of the Agency. Next, the judge reviews the evidence and decides whether the child’s safety requires that she/he be removed from the home until further hearings take place (regarding the alleged abuse or neglect) and whether the child should be detained in the temporary custody of the Agency until those hearings occur.

​

The Jurisdictional Hearing:

Both the child’s parents and the child have a right to a trial on the allegations of abuse or neglect. At this hearing, the court must decide whether the allegations of abuse or neglect are in fact true. If the court finds the allegations true, it sustains the petition. This hearing must be held within 15 days of the court’s order which first detained the child.

​

The Disposition Hearing:

Once the court sustains the petition (finding that the child was abused or neglected), the court must then decide whether the child is safe remaining with a parent or whether it is in the child’s best interest to be removed from the parents’ care. If the court decides that the child should be removed from the parents, the court then must consider who should care for the child.

• A relative is the first placement option that must be considered by the court

• If there is not an appropriate relative available, the child is usually placed in a foster home

If the child is removed from parents, the court will designate appropriate visitation (in the best interest of the child). In most cases, parents are ordered into a reunification plan and are provided services so that the child will be able to return home. Reunification plans and services are designated to remedy the problems that led to a child’s removal from the home.

​

The Six-Month Review Hearing:

The juvenile court will review how the child is doing in his/her placement in addition to the parents’ progress with their reunification plan. At this hearing, the court may decide that it is appropriate for the child to return home to a parent, or that the child should remain with a relative or in foster care.

Depending on the child’s age at the time of entering the dependency system, there may be a 12-month review set to re-evaluate similar issues.

​

The Permanency Hearing:

This hearing must be held within 12 months of the date that the child entered foster care. The court must decide if the child can be safely returned home or if reunification efforts should be continued or terminated. If reunification services are terminated, this does not terminate parental rights. An order terminating services ends the Agency’s responsibility for paying for and arranging the reunification services. Parents may choose to remain in services of their own accord and can maintain visitation with their child(ren).

​

The Selection and Implementation Hearing (.26 hearing):

If the court chooses to terminate parental reunification services, this hearing must be held within 120 days of that judgment. Here, the court will decide whether to terminate parental rights and order that the child be placed for adoption. Or, if adoption is not a viable option for the child, the court can appoint a legal guardian or choose another planned, permanent living arrangement (APPLA).

​

Post-Permanency Review Hearings

These hearings update the court on the child’s needs and progress, and they occur every six months until the child is either adopted, a guardianship is established or the case concludes due to the age of the child.