Opinion ID: 1826567
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether termination of parental rights was the least restrictive alternative available.

Text: Parental rights may be terminated if it is in the best interests of the child. SDCL 26-8-36. People in Interest of S.L.H. 342 N.W.2d 672 (S.D.1983). The standard of review is whether the trial court's ultimate findingthat clear and convincing evidence indicated termination was the least restrictive alternative commensurate with the child's best interests was clearly erroneous. People in Interest of K.C., 414 N.W.2d 616, 620 (S.D.1987); Matter of A.H., 421 N.W.2d 71 (S.D.1988). This Court's review is not whether it would have made the same finding but whether it is left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made. People in Interest of T.H., 396 N.W.2d 145, 148 (S.D. 1986). All the Social Service workers and the expert witnesses (including Mother's expert) testified that Mother does not have the necessary skills to raise J.Y. She was provided the services and the time to develop those skills three years ago with her first child and again before and after the birth of J.Y. The State's witnesses and Mother's expert witness testified that Mother still had not acquired the necessary parenting skills. In fact, Mother's expert witness agreed it would be ill-advised to give Mother unsupervised custody of J.Y. Mother's expert suggested only three alternatives to termination of parental rights. The first two alternatives involved 24-hour-a-day supervision of Mother and J.Y. The trial court found these were not viable alternatives because such supervision was not available. The third alternative would merely have involved trying that which had already proved unavailing. The trial court decided termination should not be delayed while Mother tried, yet again, to develop the necessary skills to be a parent. In light of the extensive and unsuccessful efforts already made, the trial court concluded termination was the least restrictive alternative in the best interest of J.Y. We affirm the trial court. WUEST, SABERS and AMUNDSON, JJ., concur.