Opinion ID: 1058454
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: foster care proceedings

Text: On April 8, 2004, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court entered an emergency removal order under Code § 16.1-251 transferring temporary custody of BC to the LDSS based upon findings that she would be subjected to an imminent threat to life or health to the extent that severe or irremediable injury would be likely to result if she were returned to or left in the custody of ... her parents and that reasonable efforts had been made to prevent her removal from the home. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court then entered a preliminary removal order under Code § 16.1-252 confirming the LDSS as BC's temporary legal custodian pending the entry of a dispositional order pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-278.2 and directing the LDSS to complete the investigation required by that section. At a subsequent hearing under Code § 16.1-252(G), the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court made the specific finding that BC is abused or neglected. The court set the date for the Code § 16.1-278.2 dispositional hearing and directed the LDSS to file a foster care plan under Code § 16.1-281. The LDSS foster care plan recommended placing BC in a foster home with the goal of later returning her home. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court adopted the foster care plan submitted by the LDSS and entered a July 1, 2004, order transferring custody of BC to the LDSS and setting a foster care review hearing under Code § 16.1-282 for January 4, 2005. The LDSS submitted a revised foster care plan, substituting a goal of continuing foster care for the earlier goal of returning BC to her parents' home. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court adopted that foster care plan at the January 4, 2005, foster care review hearing and set a permanency planning hearing under Code § 16.1-282.1 for May 27, 2005.