If your grandchild is currently living with you and under your care, you may want to pursue obtaining legal guardianship rights of him or her. While this is not a necessary step to take, there might be issues that arise that leave you helpless if you do not have legal guardianship of the child. Here are three reasons this might be a good idea if you expect your grandchild to live under your care for a while.
To get medical treatment
When you take a child to the doctor or ER, the staff might not be able to provide services for the child if the child's legal guardian is not present. If you want to be able to provide the medical care your grandchild needs, having legal guardianship rights is a necessity.
With these rights, you will not only be able to take the child for medical help, but you will also have the right to call the child's doctor to ask questions or find out information about the child's past medical history.
To enroll him or her in school
If your grandchild is almost old enough to start kindergarten, you may experience problems enrolling him or her in school if you are not the child's legal guardian. In order to do this, you may need the child's parent to sign the forms at the school. If he or she is not willing or able to do this, you may not be able to enroll the child.
With legal guardianship rights, you can enroll the child in the school of your choice, and you will also be able to remove the child from school if you wish. In addition, you can be listed as the primary contact for the child.
To provide and oversee counseling services
If you feel that the child is struggling emotionally in any way, having legal guardianship rights will give you the opportunity to take the child for counseling services. In addition, the counselor will have the legal right to discuss the situation with you, including things the child has revealed to him or her during their meetings. This is not a right you would have if you do not have legal guardianship of the child.
When a grandparent is responsible for caring for and raising a grandchild, going through the process of obtaining legal guardianship is a must. To learn more about this, contact a lawyer, like Burford Law Firm LLC, that specializes in guardianship rights.
Share11 January 2016
When it comes to your personal rights, how much do you really understand the law. About ten years ago, I realized that I didn't really understand my rights when I was accused of something that I knew I didn't do. I could tell that I needed to work with a lawyer who had a better understanding of what I was up against, so I contacted a local team that could help. They were really incredible to work with, and I was impressed with how well they were able to fight the charges. This blog is here for anyone struggling with legal drama.