If you are going out of town for a short period and want to leave your child with another adult, use a temporary guardianship form to authorize that person to take care of your child. Use a simple, one-page form for this short-term arrangement, one you prepare yourself or find online.
Temporary Guardianship of a Minor
If you are the parent of a minor child, you have a responsibility to keep him safe and care for him. If you are leaving town for a short period or going in for medical procedures, you may decide to leave your child in the care of a trusted friend or other responsible adult who will provide the required care.
Though this relationship is short-term and informal, it's a good idea to use a written authorization giving the child's temporary guardian the right to care for your child and make decisions for him. For example, the guardian needs legal permission to deal with any medical, dental and other heath care issues.
The guardian will appreciate having a written statement about financial and living arrangements. Generally the parent agrees to foot the bill for any expenses incurred.
Read More: What Is the Difference Between Temporary Guardianship & Custody?
Form for Guardianship Authorization
You won't have to spend hours filling out forms to authorize this temporary guardianship. A one-page form will do. Prepare it yourself or use one of the Temporary Guardianship for Care of Minor forms available online.
Details to Include
If you want to create your own, start with language identifying yourself, your child and the temporary guardian. Set out the length of time the short-term guardianship will last, where the child will live and go to school, and the name and phone numbers of the medical professionals the child sees. Specify the financial arrangements.
Add your contact information while you are away. Also include emergency contact numbers of a relative or close friend in case the guardian cannot reach you.
Finally, sign and date the authorization and have the guardian sign as well, signifying that she agrees to the arrangement. Each of you should retain a copy of the guardianship authorization.
Legal Guardianship of a Minor
An informal short-term guardianship authorization should not be confused with the legal guardianship of a minor. When a child is neglected, abandoned or in danger, the court appoints a legal guardian to take care of the child and make day-to-day decisions concerning the child's well-being.
During the time it takes to complete the many forms and finalize the appointment, the court can appoint a temporary guardian to fill in for up to 30 days. This is a much more serious and complex procedure than arranging for short-term guardianship authorization.
References
Writer Bio
Teo Spengler earned a JD from U.C. Berkeley Law School. As an Assistant Attorney General in Juneau, she practiced before the Alaska Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court before opening a plaintiff's personal injury practice in San Francisco. She holds both an MA and an MFA in English/writing and enjoys writing legal blogs and articles. Her work has appeared in numerous online publications including USA Today, Legal Zoom, eHow Business, Livestrong, SF Gate, Go Banking Rates, Arizona Central, Houston Chronicle, Navy Federal Credit Union, Pearson, Quicken.com, TurboTax.com, and numerous attorney websites. Spengler splits her time between the French Basque Country and Northern California.