Watson Legal Services

Dependency
​(Children & Youth Placement)

If your child has been removed from your home by the county agency responsible for child placements, and placed in formal foster care, a facility or with a relative and you need assistance advocating for your parental rights, we can help you. Dependency can be a complex process and you'll need an attorney to assist you in navigating the system to assist you in getting your child back home and preventing your parental rights from being terminated. 

​This entire process can be very exhausting both mentally and physically for parents and children. It's important to have someone by your side that can help alleviate the legal stressors that come with a child being removed from your home. It is always recommended that if you are in such a situation that seek legal representation and I am here to assist you. 
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​The dependency system has five primary stages that parents may experience if a child is removed by the county. Below is a high level summary of each stage.
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1. Shelter Care Hearing 

  • Must occur within 72 hours of removing the child from the home
  • The purpose is to determine if the child remaining in the home will be detrimental to the child's welfare, safety and best interests. 

2. Adjudication Hearing

  • Must occur within 10 days of the filing of the dependency petition if the child is in custody of the county or 45 days if the child is not in custody of the county
  • The purpose is to determine if the child is dependent
  • In many Pennsylvania counties, this hearing is combined with the disposition hearing

3. Disposition Hearing

  • Must occur within 10 days of the filing of the dependency petition if the child is in custody of the county or 45 days if the child is not in custody of the county
  • The purpose is to determine if the child is dependent
  • In many Pennsylvania counties, this hearing is combined with the disposition hearing

4. Permanency Review Hearing 

  • Must occur within 6 months of the date the child was removed or date of disposition, whichever is earlier. In Dauphin County Pennsylvania this generally occurs every 90 days
  • The purpose is for the court to review the permanency plan of the child, the date by which the goal of permanency for the child might be achieved and whether placement continues to be best suited to the safety, protection and physical, mental and moral welfare of the child
  • Initial hearings will serve as status reviews focusing on compliance with the plan and progress being made towards goals
  • Hearings will continue until the child is removed from the jurisdiction of the court

5. Termination of Parental Rights

  • If a parent is unsuccessful during the dependency process and fails to achieve the goals set forth by the court to have their child returned to them, they may face having their parental rights terminated.
  • If this occurs the natural parents would lose all of their parental rights and would no longer have any access to any information and/or notices about the child or any proceedings and may lose all future contact with the child
  • custody of the child is given to the county agency or the petitioner if there is a person seeking adoption

1. Shelter Care Hearing 

  • Must occur within 72 hours of removing the child from the home
  • The purpose is to determine if the child remaining in the home will be detrimental to the child's welfare, safety and best interests. 

2. Adjudication Hearing

  • Must occur within 10 days of the filing of the dependency petition if the child is in custody of the county or 45 days if the child is not in custody of the county
  • The purpose is to determine if the child is dependent
  • In many Pennsylvania counties, this hearing is combined with the disposition hearing

3. Disposition Hearing

  • Must occur within 10 days of the filing of the dependency petition if the child is in custody of the county or 45 days if the child is not in custody of the county
  • The purpose is to determine if the child is dependent
  • In many Pennsylvania counties, this hearing is combined with the disposition hearing

4. Permanency Review Hearing 

  • Must occur within 6 months of the date the child was removed or date of disposition, whichever is earlier. In Dauphin County Pennsylvania this generally occurs every 90 days
  • The purpose is for the court to review the permanency plan of the child, the date by which the goal of permanency for the child might be achieved and whether placement continues to be best suited to the safety, protection and physical, mental and moral welfare of the child
  • Initial hearings will serve as status reviews focusing on compliance with the plan and progress being made towards goals
  • Hearings will continue until the child is removed from the jurisdiction of the court

5. Termination of Parental Rights

  • If a parent is unsuccessful during the dependency process and fails to achieve the goals set forth by the court to have their child returned to them, they may face having their parental rights terminated.
  • If this occurs the natural parents would lose all of their parental rights and would no longer have any access to any information and/or notices about the child or any proceedings and may lose all future contact with the child
  • custody of the child is given to the county agency or the petitioner if there is a person seeking adoption