Termination of Parental Rights
Defined
A termination of parental rights means that the person who was the natural parent of a child no longer has any rights or responsibilities to that child.
Rights:
Rights regarding a child include the right to decide what kind of education, health care, religion, morals and values the child should have. Custody rights and visitation rights are also associated with children.
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include the duty to provide food, clothing and shelter for the child, provide all necessary child support, daycare, etc.
A parent whose rights have been terminated has the same rights and responsibilities toward that child as a complete stranger. Such a parent is not responsible for any support, nor is that parent allowed to have any input or influence over the education, teaching and upbringing of that child. In fact, a parent whose parental rights have been terminated does not even have the right to see or contact the child.
There are two ways by which parental rights may be terminated.
Voluntarily
The natural parents may voluntarily consent to the termination of their parental rights, such as when an adoption is being permitted, and the child will live with new adoptive parents. Court approval is required for this kind of proceding.
Involuntarily
Parental rights may also be terminated involuntarily. To terminate these rights involuntarily, the moving party must demonstrate that the natural parent or parents have abandoned the child.
Abandonment is demonstrated by showing that the parent has, by conduct continuing for a period of at least six months, either evidenced a settled purpose for relinquishing parental claim to a child, or has refused or failed to perform parental duties. A petition to terminate parental rights may be filed by either parent, an agency supervised by the Department of Public Welfare and providing adoption services, or an individual having custody or standing in loco parentis to the child.
Note: As a general rule, courts are reluctant to terminate parental rights when one parent feels that another parent is unfit. Even if one parent has lots of flaws, courts are hesitant to simply relieve a parent of his or her duties to properly raise the child and pay for the child's expenses.
It is extremely difficult to terminate parental rights, and courts will do so only in rare circumstances.
However, You will need to seek the services of a Family Law Attorney in order to sign a form stating that you are relinquishing your parental rights.