What We Do

We divert at risk children into the care of known and trusted guardians instead of strangers.

Our work is just beginning at the very basic level with the formation of the National Registry of Standby Guardians.

As we enter 2021, we will be active in homeless shelters, rape crises centers, hospitals and community centers and churches to arrange for standby guardianship agreements for at risk children. Our goal is to pre-empt the involvement of the foster system in a child’s life.

There are two paths to achieving our goals.

First, a birth parents can elect to designate a standby guardian to care for their child if they are ever no longer able to care for their children. This type of agreement is preferred, and will be offered at no cost to the parent through volunteer legal professionals and public notaries. All designated standby guardians must submit to and pay for annual background checks.

Second, any adult may submit their name to be considered as a standby guardian for a named, at risk child. All designated standby guardians must submit to and pay for annual background checks.

All standby guardian agreements will be filed with the relevant family and probate courts to ensure reciprocity and to prevent the involvement of child welfare services. In the event that CPS or DCFS/DFCS is involved in a child’s life, the NRSBG will defend the standby guardianship agreement in an effort to prevent the child from being placed into the foster system.

We will provide more specific information and processes in 2021.