Certified Case Manager Practice Test

When can a department petition for termination of parental rights?

1. At the child's birth

2. After the initial hearing

3. Upon evidence of egregious abuse

4. When the child is placed in foster care

The correct answer is: Upon evidence of egregious abuse

A department can petition for termination of parental rights when there is evidence of egregious abuse. This is a critical measure designed to protect the child from severe harm and ensure their safety and well-being. Egregious abuse refers to particularly severe or shocking maltreatment that poses a significant risk to the child's physical or emotional safety. This evidence is typically gathered through investigations and assessments of the child's living circumstances. In contrast, the other scenarios do not generally meet the legal thresholds required to initiate termination. Petitioning at the child's birth may not be justified unless there are immediate concerns regarding the infant's safety. After the initial hearing, while a department may have more information, it typically must demonstrate specific concerns such as egregious abuse before pursuing this drastic measure. Similarly, placing a child in foster care alone does not automatically warrant a petition for termination of parental rights, as this does not inherently indicate that the parent's rights should be severed; it might simply reflect a temporary intervention for the child's safety.