Opinion ID: 1207881
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: duty of department

Text: Sherry D.'s final argument is that the Department failed to make a reasonable effort to reunify the family pursuant to W.Va.Code, 49-6-5 (1992). This assignment of error is without merit. The Department promptly prepared the family case plan, [13] submitted the plan to the circuit court in May of 1993, and took immediate steps to offer services. Sherry D. failed to take advantage of the opportunity to work with the Department until the end of the improvement period and even then did not truly accept the fact that the abuse occurred. The failure to reunify the family in this case does not lie with the Department. [14] Sherry D. failed to bear the responsibility of demonstrating to the Department and the circuit court sufficient progress and improvement in order to regain custody.