What Are My Rights As A Great Aunt.

[synnovea1684]

Hello All. I need some advice. My neice Kristy had her babygirl last week, and the baby was placed in protective custody because of substance abuse. I talked to her social worker (who is very rude) and told me that I couldn't see the baby, go to court or be involved in any way basically. As a great aunt what are my rights? I couldn't ask the judge to be able to be a part of my new nieces life? Surely thats not correct.

 

[Proserpina]

That's correct.

You have no rights at all to your great-niece.

You CAN try to petition the court for some sort of custody or visitation, but you'll have an uphill battle on your hands.

Is there a case-plan for your niece to complete? There is a reason why I'm asking.

 

[synnovea1684]

She does have a case plan, in which she has a drug program to complete, parenting classes, completing two warrants etc.... so yes she does have a plan going.

 

[Proserpina]

OK.

Your job got that much more difficult.

You COULD contact child services again and offer yourself as a temporary placement. However, there is no obligation to allow you placement and even if the baby WAS placed with you it would be quite short term, and you'd still have no right to visitation afterwards.

The goal for child services is to reunite the child with the parent/s whenever possible. As I said, you don't have any inherent rights to see your great-niece and in the circumstances you've described I cannot see you getting court-ordered visitation.

Basically, in order to obtain that, you would have to show that there is already a strong bond between you and the child, AND that NOT having visitation would be detrimental to the child and I don't believe that you could meet either burden.

I'm sorry - I do empathize, but I honestly don't think there is anything you can do.

 

[synnovea1684]

Oh. Ok Thanks anyways for the help. I guess I'll just step back at this point and let it play out how it will.