what exactly is this? an application for Protection Order

[squidipa]

may God bless you

[Kazmar]

Not sure if this is the same thing but. My sisters little girl is in care and my sister signed something where the carer has my niece legally untill she's 18. So not adoption but legal carer till 18. My sister will never get her back But that was her own doing.
I hope this helps, not sure if its the same though

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

It sounds like your niece will be changing from foster care to permanent care - pretty much adoption. This is something DH and I have been looking at recently, generally there are 4 types of fostering - emergency care, short term care (up to 6 months), long term care (up to 2 years) and permanent care, where there is a court order that the child cannot return to the biological parents for whatever reason. I would assume your niece has been in care for at least 2 years, as kids aren't generally put straight into permanent care.

It shouldn't mean that she is moved from where she currently is however, as people can only become permanent foster parents after they've cared for the child for 2 years.

Hope that helps hun

[squidipa]

may God bless you

[Muppity]

It's pretty much identical to adoption - but is generally where the biological parents won't sign (or is deemed to be incapable of signing) adoption papers.

[squidipa]

may God bless you

[Trillian]

Squid, I would imagine that they would still let other family members see her, but it would be something you would have to arrange.

[Rach75]

just spoke to my mum she is a foster carer in QLD

ok sweets what is means is the department are applying for guardinship rights nothing to do with adoption etc, just gives the department full legal rights for the child for example schooling, dr, anything the child requires where a parent would normally have to give permission, when they dont have this order a parent can say no you can't let my child have surgery, you can't let my child go to that school, you can't cut my childs hair...

basically means parental rights are now the departments nothing to do with adoption or anything like that...

HTH