How to get guardianship of nonrelated 3 year old?

I'm from California, my neighbor (a single parent) has a 3 year old daughter that my family has become very attached to because she spends alot of time in our home. I was just informed by the child's mother that she might be going to jail/prison soon! There are no family members to take the child and she wants me to take care of her daughter if this actually happens. Is there anything legally that I can have signed or do in advance to keep this child from being forced into foster care? I would just die if this happened to this little girl!

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by chelie
I'm from California, my neighbor (a single parent) has a 3 year old daughter that my family has become very attached to because she spends alot of time in our home. I was just informed by the child's mother that she might be going to jail/prison soon! There are no family members to take the child and she wants me to take care of her daughter if this actually happens. Is there anything legally that I can have signed or do in advance to keep this child from being forced into foster care? I would just die if this happened to this little girl!

My response:

Unfortunately, no.

If what you are saying is accurate; i.e., no other family, then the child will become a Ward of the State through Dependency Court, and assigned to Foster Care.

The judge has no discretion in this matter. Because you are not "kin" to the child, and are not an approved Foster Parent, the Family Code mandates that the child be cared for through an approved Foster Home.

If you were wondering, it takes between 6 to 8 months to obtain approval to become a Foster Parent.

Sorry.

IAAL