<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".07" citation="COMAR 07.02.11.07" title_num="07" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="11" heading="Parental Rights and Responsibilities.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>When there is a conflict between the rights of the parents or legal guardian and those of the child, the child's best interest shall take precedence.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>After a court has terminated parental rights, the parents no longer have rights as enumerated in this regulation.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Consistent with the best interest of the child, the parents or legal guardian of a child in out-of-home placement may:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Upon request, obtain for the child an out-of-home placement consistent with their religious affiliation, if this placement is available and suitable;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Meet the child's caregivers, unless doing so would pose a danger to the child or the caregivers;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Contact the child's caseworker for information about the child or to discuss the child's case;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Request a family team conference to discuss local department decisions regarding the child's placement;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Petition the court to return custody of a child committed to the custody of the local department;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Be represented by legal counsel in all court proceedings;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>Receive aftercare services; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>Participate in decisions about major changes in the life of the child, unless those changes are of matters protected by the child's privacy rights or contrary to the child's best interest.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>The local department shall encourage the parents or legal guardian to:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Participate with the local department in preparing the child's concurrent permanency plans;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Participate in the development of a service agreement;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Meet regularly, according to a mutually agreed-upon schedule, with the local department representative to discuss progress toward achievement of the permanency goal; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Visit or contact the child regularly as planned with the local department or as ordered by a court, unless the contact has been determined by a court to be contrary to the best interest of the child;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Attend all court, administrative, and citizen review hearings regarding the child.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>The local department shall request the parents or legal guardian when appropriate to:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Provide the local department with all medical (including mental health, immunization, and dental) records, educational, legal, financial, and other relevant information about the child, including the birth certificate, the child's Social Security number, and any custody decree affecting the child;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Inform the local department and the court of any changes in address, employment, living arrangements, or other matters that would affect the plans for the child;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Pay child support in accordance with Regulation .29 of this chapter;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Identify and provide information on the whereabouts of the child's other parent and all known relatives;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Maintain any existing health care coverage on behalf of the child or obtain health insurance when available;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Be responsible for all medical copayments to the health care provider when private health coverage is available on behalf of the child; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>Sign all consents required by federal and State law to permit the release of all medical and mental health information and records to enable the local department to provide services to the child and the child's family.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Services to Birth Parent.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The local department shall make services available to the birth parent requesting services, irrespective of the age of the birth parent, to help the birth parent assess parental roles and responsibilities. These services include, but are not limited to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Counseling;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Referral to job training; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Financial assistance information.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>When an expectant birth parent who is considering placing a child with the local department for adoption requests services, the local department shall provide counseling and other appropriate services before the child is born and during any termination of the parental rights process.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The local department shall help the birth parent gain access to the services necessary to accomplish the mutually agreed upon goals. While the child is in care, the local department shall assist the birth parent with resolving the problems that brought about the request for adoption planning.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The local department shall inform the birth parent of the:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Parent's right to visit the child during the period before guardianship is granted;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Parent's right to withdraw consent as set forth in Family Law Article, §5-321(c)(1), Annotated Code of Maryland;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Search rights of birth parents and adoptees as set forth in Family Law Article, Title 5, Subtitles 4B and 4C, Annotated Code of Maryland; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Parent's right to file a disclosure veto as set forth in Family Law Article, §5-3A-05(a), Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>When the birth parent decides to place the child for adoption, the local department shall prepare a written placement agreement, which shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Set forth the placement plan; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Include any special conditions, such as the preferred religion or race of the adoptive family, which the agency and birth parent mutually agree upon.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>