§ 80-2a-201 — Rights of parents -- Children's rights -- Interest and responsibility of state.

(1) (1)(a) Under both the United States Constitution and the constitution of this state, a parent possesses a fundamental liberty interest in the care, custody, and management of the parent's children. A fundamentally fair process must be provided to parents if the state moves to challenge or interfere with parental rights. A governmental entity must support any actions or allegations made in opposition to the rights and desires of a parent regarding the parent's child by sufficient evidence to satisfy a parent's constitutional entitlement to heightened protection against government interference with the parent's fundamental rights and liberty interests and, concomitantly, the right of the child to be reared by the child's parent.
(1)(b) The fundamental liberty interest of a parent concerning the care, custody, and management of the parent's child is recognized, protected, and does not cease to exist simply because a parent may fail to be a model parent or because the parent's child is placed in the temporary custody of the state. At all times, a parent retains a vital interest in preventing the irretrievable destruction of family life. Before an adjudication of unfitness, government action in relation to a parent and the parent's child may not exceed the least restrictive means or alternatives available to accomplish a compelling state interest. Until the state proves parental unfitness, and the child suffers, or is substantially likely to suffer, serious detriment as a result, the child and the child's parent share a vital interest in preventing erroneous termination of their natural relationship and the state cannot presume that a child and the child's parent are adversaries.
(1)(c) It is in the best interest and welfare of a child to be raised under the care and supervision of the child's parents. A child's need for a normal family life in a permanent home, and for positive, nurturing family relationships is usually best met by the child's parents. Additionally, the integrity of the family unit and the right of a parent to conceive and raise the parent's child are constitutionally protected. The right of a fit, competent parent to raise the parent's child without undue government interference is a fundamental liberty interest that has long been protected by the laws and Constitution and is a fundamental public policy of this state.
(1)(d) The state recognizes that:
(1)(d)(i) a parent has the right, obligation, responsibility, and authority to raise, manage, train, educate, provide and care for, and reasonably discipline the parent's child; and
(1)(d)(ii) the state's role is secondary and supportive to the primary role of a parent.
(1)(e) It is the public policy of this state that:
(1)(e)(i) a parent retains the fundamental right and duty to exercise primary control over the care, supervision, upbringing, and education of the parent's child;
(1)(e)(ii) a parent retains the right to have contact with the parent's child when the child is placed outside of the parent's home, and parent-time should be ordered by a court so long as the contact is not contrary to the best interest of the child; and
(1)(e)(iii) a child has the right to have contact with the child's sibling when the child is placed outside of the home and apart from the child's sibling, and sibling visits should be ordered by a court unless the contact would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the child.
(1)(f) Subsections (2) through (7) shall be interpreted and applied consistent with this Subsection (1).
(2) It is also the public policy of this state that children have the right to protection from abuse and neglect, and that the state retains a compelling interest in investigating, prosecuting, and punishing abuse and neglect. Therefore, the state, as parens patriae, has an interest in and responsibility to protect a child whose parent abuses the child or does not adequately provide for the child's welfare. There may be circumstances where a parent's conduct or condition is a substantial departure from the norm and the parent is unable or unwilling to render safe and proper parental care and protection. Under those circumstances, the state may take action for the welfare and protection of the parent's child.
(3) When the division intervenes on behalf of an abused, neglected, or dependent child, the division shall take into account the child's need for protection from immediate harm and the extent to which the child's extended family may provide needed protection. Throughout the division's involvement, the division shall utilize the least intrusive and least restrictive means available to protect a child, in an effort to ensure that children are brought up in stable, permanent families, rather than in temporary foster placements under the supervision of the state.
(4) If circumstances within the family pose a threat to the child's immediate safety or welfare, the division may seek custody of the child for a planned, temporary period and place the child in a safe environment, subject to the requirements of this section and in accordance with Chapter 3, Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings, and when safe and appropriate, return the child to the child's parent or as a last resort, pursue another permanency plan.
(5) In determining and making reasonable efforts with regard to a child, under Section 80-2a-302, both the division's and the juvenile court's paramount concern shall be the child's health, safety, and welfare. The desires of a parent for the parent's child, and the constitutionally protected rights of a parent, as described in this section, shall be given full and serious consideration by the division and the juvenile court.
(6) In accordance with Subsections 80-2a-302(4) and 80-3-301(12), in cases where sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, abandonment, severe abuse, or severe neglect are involved, the state has no duty to make reasonable efforts or to, in any other way, attempt to maintain a child in the child's home, provide reunification services, or rehabilitate the offending parent or parents. This Subsection (6) does not exempt the division from providing court-ordered services.
(7) (7)(a) In accordance with Subsection (1), the division shall strive to achieve appropriate permanency for children who are abused, neglected, or dependent. The division shall provide in-home services, if appropriate and safe, in an effort to help a parent to correct the behavior that resulted in abuse, neglect, or dependency of the parent's child. The division may pursue a foster placement only if in-home services fail or are otherwise insufficient or inappropriate, kinship placement is not safe or appropriate, or in-home services and kinship placement fail and cannot be corrected. The division shall also seek qualified extended family support or a kinship placement to maintain a sense of security and stability for the child.
(7)(b) If the use or continuation of reasonable efforts, as described in Subsections (5) and (6), is determined to be inconsistent with the permanency plan for a child, then measures shall be taken, in a timely manner, to place the child in accordance with the permanency plan, and to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child.
(7)(c) Subject to the parental rights recognized and protected under this section, if, because of a parent's conduct or condition, the parent is determined to be unfit or incompetent based on the grounds for termination of parental rights described in Chapter 4, Termination and Restoration of Parental Rights, the continuing welfare and best interest of the child is of paramount importance, and shall be protected in determining whether that parent's rights should be terminated.
(8) The state's right to direct or intervene in the provision of medical or mental health care for a child is subject to Subsections 80-1-102(58)(b)(i) through (iii) and Sections 80-3-109 and 80-3-304.

Legislative History

Amended by Chapter 426, 2025 General Session