What is a dependent child?
Under Florida Statutes, chapter 39, a dependent child is one who has been found by a court to: • Have been abandoned, abused, or neglected by the child’s parent or parents or legal custodians • Have been surrendered to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) or a licensed child-placing agency for purpose of adoption • Have been voluntarily placed with a licensed child-caring agency, a licensed child-placing agency, an adult relative, or DCFS, after which placement a case plan has expired and the parents or legal custodians have failed to comply wit the requirements of the plan • Have been voluntarily placed with a licensed child-caring agency for the purposes of subsequent adoption, and the parents have signed a consent pursuant to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure • Have no parent or legal custodians capable of providing supervision and care • Be at substantial risk of imminent abuse, abandonment, or neglect by the parents or legal custodians.
