11.37 Appearance Waiver and Consent to Adopt

Introduction

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Practice Guidance

  • Kentucky statute allows an appearance waiver and DSS-215-Consent to Adopt form be filed with the termination petition when the parent initiates a voluntary TPR action in Family or Circuit court and chooses not to attend the proceeding.


Procedure

​The SSW:

  1. Requests the parent(s) to appear before the court for the termination hearing to avoid potential conflicts of interest by the Cabinet and ensure that parents seeking voluntary termination of parental rights (TPR) are fully aware of the finality of TPR and consequences of  their action; 1 
  2. Does not utilize appearance waiver and DSS-215-Consent to Adopt form when the child’s legal custody will be transferred to the Cabinet.


​​Footnotes​

  1. The parent(s) cannot be required to attend the TPR hearing.


Revisions