b) Pursuant to 23 Pa. C.S. § 6315 and after a court order, the county agency shall take the child into protective custody for protection from abuse. No county agency may take custody of the child without judicial authorization based on the merits of the situation.
A social worker or police officer can place a child into protective custody if he or she believes immediate action is needed to protect a child from abuse or neglect.
Which three professionals can take a child into temporary emergency protective custody?
There are three ways in which a child can be taken into protective custody:
- Emergency protective custody taken by a police officer, law enforcement official, physician, or juvenile officer;
- A judge signs an order without holding a court hearing due to emergency circumstances;
- As a result of a court hearing.
Can a father take a child away from the mother in PA?
If there is no custody order, both parents have an equal right to custody, and either can lawfully take physical possession of the child at any time. However, taking the child away without the other parent’s consent can be held against you in court if that action was not reasonable.
What are my rights with child Protective Services in PA?
In Pennsylvania, CPS must make a reasonable effort to place your child in a kinship care relationship, and you have the right to advocate for your child to go to a grandparent, aunt or uncle, cousin, or close friend’s home. You should provide CPS with possible adults’ names and contact information.
What are the legal consequences for failing to report in a timely manner?
In most states, failure to report is a misdemeanor offense, usually punishable by fine. In some states, misdemeanor offenses can carry a sentence of jail time or probation.
What is an order of protective custody?
Protective custody is a coercive mechanism for getting a person who is believed to have a mental illness to a place where they can be examined by a medical practitioner, to see whether an Assessment Order or Treatment Order is needed.
What is considered unfit living conditions for a child?
There are four main types of child neglect which include: physical neglect, medical neglect, educational neglect, and emotional neglect. In physical neglect a parent will fail to provide for a child’s necessities of shelter, food, and clothing.
What is considered an unstable home for a child?
Children living in an economically unstable home may not have sufficient food, clothing, or utilities; if old enough they may be forced to work to help make ends meet in the home. Emotional instability in a family is often expressed through neglect, anger, anxiety and fear.
How long does a father have to be absent to lose his rights?
Absent parent: If a parent has been absent for 6 months or more, the law allows the other, more responsible parent, to petition to terminate parental rights. Not just parents can terminate: in fact, anyone with an interest in the well-being of a child can attempt to terminate one or both parents’ rights.
What is a unfit mother?
An unfit parent is one who is incapable of providing a nurturing, safe, and appropriate environment for their child when that inability puts the child at serious risk of harm.
What is considered an unfit parent in PA?
What makes a parent unfit in PA? Any records proving mental or physical condition that makes the parent incapable of providing care for their child as well as criminal charges and drug use count as strong evidence to show that the parent is not fit to be awarded the custody.
A court order, known as an emergency protection order, is required for social services to take a child away from parents, unless there are immediate concerns for the child’s safety, in which case a child may be removed by the police and placed in police protection for up to 72 hours.
What is considered child neglect in PA?
(1) A repeated, prolonged or egregious failure to supervise a child in a manner that is appropriate considering the child’s developmental age and abilities. (2) The failure to provide a child with adequate essentials of life, including food, shelter or medical care.