Permanent guardianship under the Abuse and Neglect Act gives the guardian all of the rights and responsibilities of a parent except for those listed in the decree of permanent guardianship, if any. The decree is not a termination of parental rights and a child's inheritance rights are not affected. While termination of parental rights together with adoption provides permanency for many children, something not quite so final is the better option for some children. Maybe the child is a 15 year old who would prefer to live with his grandparents than be adopted, or there are other relatives willing to raise a child whose parent is in prison.
Guardianship is an option in such cases.
There is no specific timeline applicable to the appointment of a permanent guardian under the Abuse and Neglect Act. For the necessary findings, see 23.10 below. Any party may file a motion for permanent guardianship. If someone other than the prospective guardian files the motion, the motion must be verified by the prospective guardian. The petitioner must sign and verify the motion and file it with the court.