R.W. v. Department of Children & Families

Appellant, the offending mother of a dependent child, appeals the trial court’s order changing her case plan goal from reunification, to placing the child in the permanent custody of his natural father, a non-offending parent. Appellant argues that, because the trial court found she substantially complied with her case plan and the case plan goal throughout the proceedings was reunification, section 39.701(9)(b), Florida Statutes (2004) mandates the court return the child to her. We affirm.

When a child is adjudicated dependent, the court is required to place the child with a non-offending…