Legal Guardianship
Can The Alliance’s Legal Guardianship Program Help You?
Are you caring for a child and have not gone to court to establish legal guardianship?
Are you caring for a child and having trouble enrolling him/her in school or taking him/her to the doctor because you are not the parent?
Do you need information about your rights and responsibilities as a legal guardian, including benefits and funding?
If so, call our intake line to get started:
(213) 368-6010
Throughout Los Angeles, more than 300,000 children live with a relative or friend because their parents are unable or unwilling to care for them.
Without a legal relationship, caregivers who are willing to be there for these kids are limited in their ability to protect and provide for them.
The Alliance helps caregivers become legal guardians of the children in their care so that they can take them to the doctor, enroll them in school and obtain financial assistance to better provide them a secure, stable life.
Legal guardianship can only be established by a court, not by a notarized letter from a parent. The Alliance represents eligible caregivers seeking legal guardianship in the probate court.
Legal Guardianship Materials Online | Click On The Underlined Text To Download Material
Learn general information and requirements about legal guardianship in our Guardianship Informational Brochure: English | Spanish
Caregivers may learn more about the steps to become a guardian and the rights and responsibilities of legal guardianship in our Guardianship Handbook: English | Spanish
Under California law, if you are caring for a child who is not your own, a Caregiver's Affidavit will allow you to: 1) enroll the child in school and 2) if you are a relative, consent to medical care on behalf of the child. If you are not a relative, you may consent to school-related medical care only and it is recommended that you obtain legal guardianship.
Download the Caregiver's Affidavit: English | Spanish All you have to do is sign it and provide it to the school and/or medical personnel.
Under California law, a parent may give you authority to consent to medical treatment for a child in your care. The parent must sign the 3rd Party Consent to Authorize Medical Treatment. A notarized letter from the parent can serve as a third party consent. For non-relative caregivers, a 3rd party consent provides better protection than a caregiver's affidavit regarding medical care. Download Consent To Authorize Medical Treatment: English | Spanish
