Make Sure You Know The Responsibilities of a Legal Guardian

If the legal guardian is struggling financially, then they can request that the parents of the child provide child support, or they can request assistance from Government organizations, such as Temporary Aid for Needy Families. Children law also declares that a guardian must ascertain that the child is attending school on a regular basis and is receiving a proper education.

Under current children law, the guardian is able to choose the school that the child attends, but must invest time with the child to make sure that they are doing well in school. If any special education or assistance is required, then the guardian is responsible for arranging it.

Children laws state that a child's legal guardian is responsible for ensuring that the child has access to proper healthcare. If a child is sick, then the guardian must make sure that the child visits a doctor and receives treatment. Under children laws, a child's legal guardian is to approve most medical treatments, as well as therapy and counseling. However, in non-emergency situations, children laws may require a guardian to obtain approval from the court before they agree to administer some forms of medicine, or before they agree to surgery.

Children laws ascertain that a legal guardian is responsible for making sure that a child is behaving properly. If a child breaks the law or causes damage to property, then the legal guardian of the child can be held responsible. The legal guardian of a child may be held responsible if the child injures someone. A legal guardian is also responsible for providing the child with a safe living environment.

Like a parent, guardians need to support the child both emotionally and financially. They need to provide the child with love and protection. Children law also recognizes that, along with the responsibility, a legal guardian receives many rights regarding the upbringing of a child. A legal guardian is permitted to raise the child how they choose, as long as it is not physically, psychologically, or emotionally abusive.

For example, children law allows a legal guardian to raise a child in their care to follow whatever religion that the guardian chooses. Likewise, children law allows a guardian and the child that is in their care to live in any location that the guardian chooses, as long as the guardian notifies the court.

It is important to remember that under current children laws, the court has the ability to order visitation rights to the family members of the child. Therefore, if the court rules that the mother or the father of the child is allowed to have supervised or overnight visitation rights, it is the guardian’s responsibility to adhere to this decision.

NEXT: Make Sure You Understand The Permanency of Guardianship