what is guardianship of a child

Guardianship of a child is a legal arrangement where a person is appointed by a court to make decisions on behalf of a child when the parents are unable to do so themselves. The appointed guardian has custody of the child and the authority to make decisions concerning the childs protection, education, care, discipline, etc. . Legal guardianship is not the same as adoption, as the parental rights of the childs natural parents are generally not terminated. Guardianship can be a permanency option for a child who has been placed in out-of-home care, as it creates a legal relationship between a child and caregiver without the necessity of terminating the parents parental rights. There are different types of guardianship, including guardianship over the person, guardianship over the estate, and guardianship over both the person and estate. Guardianship over a child lasts until the child turns 18, but it can continue until the child graduates high school if the child will not graduate high school until the age of 19. Legal guardianship is assigned by a court, such as a family court, according to state laws. In most cases of legal guardianship, a minor child’s natural parents select the guardian(s) to ensure continued care and safety of that child when they are unable to do so themselves.