The rights of parents and children are recognized in state laws and through court interpretations of these laws. The courts make judgments concerning the rights of children and parents on various issues including adoption, child support, custody, criminal child abuse, delinquency, dependency and neglect, divorce, relinquishment or termination of parental rights, and education. A brief overview of some areas of Colorado law affecting children follows. State law requires government intervention to protect children when there are claims that a parent or guardian has abandoned, mistreated, or abused a child. Doctors, teachers, and a variety of other professions and occupations that regularly come into contact with children are required to report evidence of child abuse, such as bruises, broken bones, or burns.
Government intervenes through the courts.
In these cases, a county department of social services files a dependency and neglect petition in the court seeking to have the family obtain treatment to remedy the situation. A petition can also be filed if a child, through no fault of the parent, is homeless, has run away from home, or is beyond the control of the parent or guardian. The court is required by state law to base its decisions on what is in the best interests of the child. The standard of best interests of the child is also used in adoption, juvenile delinquency, and child custody cases. A dependency and neglect case may not be brought for acts which are a reasonable exercise of parental discipline.