Article: Before your Team Decision-Making Meeting (TDM), gather as many supporters as you can and ask them to join you. They could be neighbors, family members, teachers, doctors, etc.. They will be able to talk to the social worker and convince them of your fitness to maintain custody of your child. In addition, be prepared to discuss why it would be safe for your child to return home. For example, if your child was taken from you due to neglect, be prepared to show the social worker that you have a plan in place to never neglect your child again. As soon as is reasonably possible after your child has been removed from your custody, you will be notified of a TDM. During this meeting, you and any supporters you have will meet with the social worker and discuss whether a safety plan can be developed so that your child can be returned to you. A safety plan will address all of the safety concerns that caused your child to be taken away from you and will dictate how those concerns will be alleviated. If all safety concerns can be adequately addressed, your child may be returned to you. However, if not all concerns can be alleviated, your child will remain in out-of-home care and a court hearing will be scheduled. At your detention hearing, a judge will get an impression of the case and will determine where your child will be placed. Before the hearing begins, you will be given an opportunity to read the petition the social worker filed and you will have an an opportunity to ask questions about it. You need to make sure you attend this hearing because vital decisions will be made about your child and their well-being. If you attend, you can help make these decisions and you will show the court that you care about your child. If you do not attend, the court will move forward without you and you will be sent a letter notifying you of the next hearing. About two weeks after your detention hearing, you will have the opportunity to attend a jurisdictional hearing. At this hearing, you will admit or deny all of the statements in the petition the social worker filed with the court. The court will then make a determination as to the truth of the petition and your statements about it. When you attend this hearing, come prepared and be sure you have read and understand the petition. If possible, bring with you evidence of your ability to care for your child. If the judge agrees with the petition, the court will schedule a dispositional hearing, which may take place at the same time as the jurisdictional hearing or at a different time. If the judge agrees with you and finds the petition to be untruthful, the case may be dismissed and your child will be returned to you. At this final hearing, the court will listen to testimony from both sides and will consider evidence that either party presents. If the court determines that your child should remain out of your custody, the court will make orders about when and how you can visit your child and what services you will be required to complete. If the court determines that your child can be returned to you, this will happen. As a part of the court's order, you will take part in creating and following a "case plan." A case plan outlines the services you will need to take part in, the steps you will need to follow, and timelines that will be required to be followed in order to have your child returned to you. When you attend the dispositional hearing, be sure you prepare adequately. If you have people that can testify on your behalf, bring them. If you have evidence of your ability to parent, bring it. For example, if your child was taken from your custody due to unsafe living conditions, bring a new lease that shows you have moved in to a more suitable home. If your child was taken from you because you were abusing drugs, bring recent statements from rehabilitation centers stating that you are working to fix your problem.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Gather supporters. Take part in a TDM. Watch for a notification about your child's detention hearing. Attend a jurisdictional hearing. Go to the dispositional hearing. Prepare evidence of your ability to parent.