Deciding To Split

Posted on: 16 March 2016

If you are the grandparent of a child who needs some guidance and protection, and they are currently not in a good situation at home, it may be prudent to file for custody. While every situation is different, there are circumstances when the courts will deem the grandparents fit to become the sole guardian of their grandchildren. If you are currently dealing with the possibility of filing for custody, here are some things the court will take into consideration.

Safety Of The Child

If your grandchild or grandchildren have been removed from their parent's home because the parents were deemed unfit, you'll need to be able to prove that their safety is in jeopardy. If the parents are currently using drugs or keeping the children in an unsafe or unhealthy environment, you could be granted custody. A good way to help speed up the process is to get the local department of child protective services involved so they can pay a visit to the home and provide a thorough report. This will help you with proving the children's' current home life is less than ideal.

Possible Visitation

In many cases, the court will request that you still allow the children to visit their parents. Since being removed from their birth parents can be devastating and frightening for children, your odds are much higher to get custody if you agree to allow occasional parental visitation. If you prefer, you can request that the child's parents come to your home to visit rather than leaving them alone with them for an extended period of time. You'll need to be able to make the case that you are able to provide your grandchildren with a better, safer environment than they would get at home.

Health Or Finances

Senior adults may be living on retirement funds and enrolled in Medicare for their insurance coverage. These factors could weigh on the final custody decision. Make sure that you are in good health and that you have a stable financial plan and income so that you'll be able to provide for your grandchildren. Since kids can be costly, you must be able to prove that you can provide things for them such as clothing, food, and their health care needs. Be prepared to present financial statements to the court as well as options for continuing the children's current health care plan. The ultimate goal of any custody battle is to be able to give children a loving, safe, and stable home. Contact an attorney, like http://bradenlawoffice.com/, for more help.