Opinion ID: 1859817
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Denial of Placement with the Maternal Grandmother

Text: For her second point on appeal, Appellant argues that it is standard practice in dependency-neglect proceedings for family members to be considered as placements for children who would otherwise enter or remain in the foster care system or be adopted outside of their biological parent's families. As the children's attorney ad litem points out, however, Appellant failed to make any formal motions requesting that the children be placed with her mother. Furthermore, the maternal grandmother never intervened in this action to seek placement of the children with her. This court held in Anderson, 310 Ark. 633, 839 S.W.2d 196, that when the circumstances reveal a studied indifference to the child, termination must result. Based on that holding, it would be illogical for this court to now hold that the chancery court erred in refusing to place the children with the maternal grandmother when the evidence revealed an indifference to the children's welfare on her part. The chancellor heard testimony regarding the maternal grandmother's refusal to accept placement of the children when DHS initially took them into custody. The grandmother attributed her initial refusal to using tough love on her daughter so that she would work to get her children back. There was also evidence presented at the hearings, however, that revealed a lack of visitation on the grandmother's part while the children were in foster care. The DHS case manager testified that while the grandmother agreed to accept placement of the children, she did not appear to really want the responsibility of dealing with the children. Finally, even when the grandmother testified about her willingness to take the children, she focused the situation on her daughter's needs, not the needs of the children. In matters involving the welfare of young children, the appellate court gives great weight to the trial judge's personal observations. In re Adoption of K.F.H. and K.F.H., 311 Ark. 416, 844 S.W.2d 343 (1993); M.T. v. Arkansas Dep't of Human Servs., 58 Ark.App. 302, 952 S.W.2d 177 (1997). The chancellor relied on the above-enumerated testimony in declining to place the children with their maternal grandmother. Obviously, the chancellor had the benefit of witnessing first hand the grandmother's behavior and participation during the pendency of this case; therefore, we cannot say she clearly erred in refusing to place the children with the maternal grandmother.