Avoiding Foster Care Placement When Possible

Q: Might consult a family law attorney early result in better domestic matter outcomes?

Most people don’t realize that the first time someone consults a family law attorney doesn’t necessarily have to be when they are getting a divorce.

A Phoenix family law attorney can help if you’re struggling with any number of domestic matters.  In fact, seeking legal advice early can sometimes resolve smaller issues before they become larger problems down the line.

Child custody, which is also known as legal decision-making and parenting time in Arizona, is a large part of divorces involving parents of minor children because it determines which parents have the right to make important life decisions on behalf of the children as well as who has the right to physical custody of the children.

But child custody issues can also arise when co-parents are not married or are married but not currently considering getting divorced. Sometimes one parent will accuse the other of being unfit. In other instances, Child Protective Services or another outside party or agency may question whether a parent should retain custody if circumstances exist that indicate it’s not in the best interest of the child or that the child is in danger by remaining in the custody of that parent.

Unfortunately, foster care is not always the best alternative placement, which is the reason why working through problems before a situation escalates with a family law attorney is a good idea.

Sadly, a Glendale toddler who had been placed in a foster home with family friends only 3 weeks earlier– after his parents were allegedly accused of neglect– died of flu complications. The badly bruised boy whose foster mother allegedly admitted to using “aggressive discipline” reportedly didn’t seek medical attention for the sick boy for about a week until flagging down an ambulance that just happened to be in the neighborhood. Reportedly, the case is still open and it’s not currently known (nor may it ever be) whether the bruise injuries—which were allegedly not significant enough to have caused the death—might have contributed to it in any way or where the boy was placed at the time the bruises were received.

If you are struggling with a family law matter, Cohen Family Law can help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

From our office in Phoenix, we represent families in transition throughout Arizona, including but not limited to Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Surprise, Scottsdale, Chandler, and Tempe.