Suggest appointment as guardian

Source: Serviceportal Rheinland-Pfalz

You can take on voluntary guardianship if the child's biological parents cannot or are not allowed to exercise parental custody. This may be the case, for example, if

the child's mother is a minor herself
parental custody is suspended or has been withdrawn by the court
the child's parents are deceased
the parents of so-called foundlings cannot be identified
underage refugees are living unaccompanied in Germany

Alternatively, guardianship exists until

until the child reaches the age of majority
the resumption of parental custody
to an adoption

As a guardian, you basically have the same rights and duties as parents. You represent the child legally. However, you must obtain approval from the family court for certain decisions, for example

Concluding a training or employment contract for longer than one year
Moving abroad

If necessary, choose a suitable placement for the child, for example

in a foster family
in a sheltered apartment
in a home
in your own household

The guardian for a child is appointed by the family court. You can request your appointment as guardian, especially if you have a relationship with the child, for example

as a grandmother or grandfather
as an aunt or uncle
as another family member

You can also take on guardianship jointly as husband and wife or as partners.

Your work is supported and monitored by the family court. As a guardian, you report regularly to the family court about the child and how the child's money is being used. You should meet the child in person at least once a month.

If you would like to take on a guardianship on a voluntary basis, you can first seek advice from the relevant youth welfare office.
You then submit an informal written application for your appointment to the family court. The guardian is generally selected by the family court, whereby the person who is best suited to look after the child and its assets is chosen.
An exception is only made if the parents have named or excluded a guardian in their last will and testament.
The family court will check your suitability and obtain information about you, for example from the
- Federal Central Register
- Debtor register
- Youth Welfare Office
It also takes into account
- the wishes of the child
- his family relationships
- his personal ties
- his religious denomination
- its cultural background
- the actual or presumed wishes of the parents
- his living conditions
The family court therefore hears the child before making a decision and gains a personal impression of them.
Your appointment as guardian is made by order of the competent family court.

Suggest appointment as guardian

Process flow

Requirements

What are the fees?

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

Legal basis

Applications / forms

What else should I know?

Weiterführende Informationen

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