Guardians after a former guardians death, how does this work?

[wildchild75]

What is the name of your state? Georgia

A very dear friend of ours has just found out that she has cancer and very little time left. Her granddaughter was awarded to her when the natural mother was incarcerated 5 years ago (she was 1 yr old) she has since been released and has not seen the child or tried to fight for her since she was awarded to the grandmother-- the grandmother who is our friend had to lose nearly everything fighting the mother from prison and still has to go to court yearly and make sure that the girl is attending school regularly, and everything is still in the childs best interest.

The grandmother asked me this morning if we would be her guardians when she passes and she will have everything made legal. How will this work with this situation? Will we have to continue the court visits? Is there a chance that the state would not give her to us or that we could one day lose her? (we are good people- no arrests, drugs, anything that would make us unfit) When the time comes and we take her in, we would like to have her feel as though she were as much a part of the family as our own children and we would hate to worry about her being taken from us one day.

~Thank you

 

[Zephyr]

a member of the child's family would be the states first choice of a guardian.

 

[wildchild75]

her mother has given her up, her father is in drug rehab and in and out of jail and the grandmother is the only one left of her family. the grandmother would have no say?

 

[Ohiogal]

Children cannot be willed. She may be able to appoint you as a standby guardian however the state gets the final call in who will be the child's permanent guardian.