{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-1-4-707","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-1-4-707","heading":"Dispositional orders - Determinations","body":"A. The following kinds of dispositional orders may be made and\n\nshall be in accordance with the best interests of the child:\n\n1. a. The court may place the child under protective\n\nsupervision by the Department of Human Services in the\n\nhome of the child with the parent or legal guardian\n\nwith whom the child was residing at the time the\n\nevents or conditions arose that brought the child\n\nwithin the jurisdiction of the court, subject to such\n\nconditions as the court may prescribe that would\n\nreasonably prevent the child from continuing to be\n\ndeprived.\n\nb. The court may place the child with the noncustodial\n\nparent, if available, upon completion of a home\n\nassessment, unless the court finds that the placement\n\nwould not be in the best interests of the child. Any\n\nparty with knowledge of the facts may present evidence\n\nto the court regarding whether the placement is in the\n\nbest interests of the child. If the court places the\n\nchild with the parent, it may do either of the\n\nfollowing:\n\n(1) order that the noncustodial parent assume sole\n\ncustodial responsibilities for the child. The\n\ncourt may also order reasonable visitation and\n\nthe payment of child support by the child's other\n\nparent. The court may then terminate its\n\njurisdiction by entering a final permanency\n\norder. The final order entered determining\n\ncustody, visitation and child support from the\n\ndeprived action:\n\n(a) shall remain in full force and effect and\n\nshall control over any custody or child\n\nsupport order entered in an administrative\n\nor district court action initiated prior to\n\nor during the pendency of the deprived\n\naction until such time as it is modified by\n\na subsequent order of the district court,\n\nand\n\n(b) may be docketed and filed in the prior\n\nexisting or pending administrative or\n\ndistrict court action; provided, however, if\n\nthere is no administrative or district court\n\naction then in existence, the surviving\n\norder may be used as the sole basis for\n\nopening a new administrative or district\n\ncourt action in the same county where the\n\ndeprived action was pending or in the county\n\nwhere the legal custodian of the child\n\nresides. When applicable, the clerk of the\n\njuvenile court shall transmit the surviving\n\norder to the clerk of the district court of\n\nthe county where the order is to be filed\n\nalong with the names and last-known\n\naddresses of the parents of the child. The\n\nclerk of the district court shall\n\nimmediately upon receipt open a file without\n\na filing fee, assign a new case number and,\n\nwhen applicable, file the order and send by\n\nfirst-class mail a copy of the order with\n\nthe new or prior existing case number back\n\nto the juvenile court and to the parents of\n\nthe child at their last-known address. The\n\norder shall not be confidential and may be\n\nenforced or modified after being docketed\n\nand filed in the prior existing or new\n\nadministrative or district court action, or\n\n(2) order that the noncustodial parent assume custody\n\nof the child under protective supervision by the\n\nDepartment. The court may order that:\n\n(a) reunification services be provided to the\n\nparent or legal guardian from whom the child\n\nhas been or is being removed,\n\n(b) services be provided solely to the parent\n\nwho is assuming physical custody of the\n\nchild in order to allow that parent to later\n\nobtain legal custody without court\n\nsupervision, or\nof the child under protective supervision by the\n\nDepartment. The court may order that:\n\n(a) reunification services be provided to the\n\nparent or legal guardian from whom the child\n\nhas been or is being removed,\n\n(b) services be provided solely to the parent\n\nwho is assuming physical custody of the\n\nchild in order to allow that parent to later\n\nobtain legal custody without court\n\nsupervision, or\n\n(c) services be provided to both parents, in\n\nwhich case the court shall determine, at a\n\nsubsequent review hearing, which parent, if\n\neither, shall have custody of the child.\n\nc. If the court orders the child into the home of a\n\nfather whose paternity has not been established, the\n\nalleged father must cooperate in establishing\n\npaternity as a condition for the child's continued\n\nplacement in the alleged father's home.\n\nd. If the court issues an order for protective\n\nsupervision of the child in the home of a parent, the\n\ncourt may order any of the following:\n\n(1) that a party or other person living in the home\n\nvacate the child's home indefinitely or for a\n\nspecified period of time within forty-eight (48)\n\nhours of issuing the order, and\n\n(2) that a party, a parent, or a legal guardian of\n\nthe child prevent a particular person from having\n\ncontact with the child.\n\ne. At any time during the deprived child proceedings, the\n\ncourt may issue an order specifying the conduct to be\n\nfollowed by any person living in the home that the\n\ncourt determines would be in the best interests of the\n\nchild. The conduct specified shall be such as would\n\nreasonably prevent the child from continuing to be\n\ndeprived.\n\nf. The order placing the child under supervision by the\n\nDepartment in the child's own home shall remain in\n\neffect for a period of one (1) year. In appropriate\n\ncircumstances, the court may extend or reduce the\n\nperiod of supervision by the Department.\n\n2. a. If the court is unable to place the child in the home\n\nof a parent, the court shall give a preference for\n\nplacing temporary custody of the child with a relative\n\nas specified in Section 1-4-204 of this title, subject\n\nto the best interests of the child and the conditions\n\nand restrictions specified in Section 1-4-705 of this\n\ntitle. In determining whether to place temporary\n\ncustody of the child with a relative, the court may\n\nconsider the following factors:\n\n(1) the physical, psychological, educational,\n\nmedical, and emotional needs of the child,\n\n(2) the wishes of the parent, the relative, and\n\nchild, if appropriate,\n\n(3) whether placement of the siblings and half-\n\nsiblings can be made in the same home, if that\n\nplacement is found to be in the best interest of\n\neach child,\n\n(4) the background information of the relative and\n\nany other person living in the home, including\n\nwhether any such person has a prior history of\n\nviolence, acts of child abuse or neglect, or any\n\nother background that would render the home\n\nunsuitable,\n\n(5) the nature and duration of the relationship\n\nbetween the child and the relative, and the\n\nrelative's desire to care for and to provide\n\nlong-term permanency for the child if\n\nreunification is unsuccessful, and\n\n(6) the ability of the relative to do the following:\n\n(a) provide a safe, secure, and stable\n\nenvironment for the child,\n\n(b) exercise proper and effective care and\n\ncontrol of the child,\n\n(c) provide a home and the necessities of life\n\nfor the child,\n\n(d) protect the child from his or her parents,\n\n(e) facilitate court-ordered reunification\n\nefforts with the parent,\n\n(f) facilitate visitation with the child's\n\nsiblings and other relatives, and\ning:\n\n(a) provide a safe, secure, and stable\n\nenvironment for the child,\n\n(b) exercise proper and effective care and\n\ncontrol of the child,\n\n(c) provide a home and the necessities of life\n\nfor the child,\n\n(d) protect the child from his or her parents,\n\n(e) facilitate court-ordered reunification\n\nefforts with the parent,\n\n(f) facilitate visitation with the child's\n\nsiblings and other relatives, and\n\n(g) arrange for appropriate and safe child care,\n\nif necessary.\n\nb. If more than one appropriate relative requests\n\npreferential consideration pursuant to this section,\n\neach relative shall be evaluated under the factors\n\nenumerated in this paragraph. However, whenever a new\n\ntemporary custody order regarding the child must be\n\nentered, consideration shall again be given as\n\ndescribed in this section to relatives who have been\n\nfound to be suitable and who will fulfill the\n\npermanency needs of the child.\n\nc. If the court does not place temporary custody of the\n\nchild with a relative pursuant to this subsection, the\n\ncourt shall state for the record the reasons placement\n\nwith that relative was denied.\n\n3. a. The court may place the child in the custody of a\n\nprivate institution or agency, including any\n\ninstitution established and operated by the county,\n\nauthorized to care for children or to place them in\n\nfamily homes.\n\nb. In placing a child in a private institution or agency,\n\nthe court shall select one that is licensed by the\n\nDepartment or any other state department supervising\n\nor licensing private institutions and agencies; or, if\n\nsuch institution or agency is in another state, by the\n\nanalogous department of that state.\n\nc. Whenever the court shall place a child in any\n\ninstitution or agency, it shall transmit with the\n\norder of commitment a summary of its information\n\nconcerning the child, and such institution or agency\n\nshall give to the court such information concerning\n\nthe child as the court may at any time require.\n\n4. The court may place the child in the custody of the\n\nDepartment.\n\na. In selecting a placement for a child in its custody,\n\nthe Department shall make an individualized\n\ndetermination based upon the child's best interests\n\nand permanency plan regarding the following placement\n\noptions:\n\n(1) a home or facility that meets the preferences\n\nspecified by the state and federal Indian Child\n\nWelfare Acts when applicable,\n\n(2) the home of a noncustodial parent,\n\n(3) the home of a relative approved by the\n\nDepartment,\n\n(4) the home of a nonrelative kinship family approved\n\nby the Department,\n\n(5) an approved foster home in which the child has\n\nbeen previously placed,\n\n(6) a suitable nonkinship foster family or family-\n\nstyle living program approved by the Department,\n\n(7) a suitable licensed group home for children, or\n\n(8) an independent living program.\n\nb. (1) Unless the child is placed with relatives or in\n\naccord with the federal and state Indian Child\n\nWelfare Acts, the child shall be placed, when\n\npossible, in the county of residence of the\n\nchild's parent or legal guardian in order to\n\nfacilitate reunification of the family.\n\n(2) If an appropriate placement is not available in\n\nthe county of residence of the parent or legal\n\nguardian, the child shall be placed in an\n\nappropriate home in the nearest proximity to the\n\nresident county of the parent or legal guardian.\nld shall be placed, when\n\npossible, in the county of residence of the\n\nchild's parent or legal guardian in order to\n\nfacilitate reunification of the family.\n\n(2) If an appropriate placement is not available in\n\nthe county of residence of the parent or legal\n\nguardian, the child shall be placed in an\n\nappropriate home in the nearest proximity to the\n\nresident county of the parent or legal guardian.\n\n(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to\n\nmean that the child's placements shall correspond\n\nin frequency to changes of residence by the\n\nparent or legal guardian. In determining whether\n\nthe child should be moved, the Department shall\n\ntake into consideration the potential harmful\n\neffects of disrupting the placement of the child\n\nand the reason of the parent or legal guardian\n\nfor the move.\n\nc. If the child is part of a sibling group, it shall be\n\npresumed that placement of the entire sibling group in\n\nthe same placement is in the best interests of the\n\nchild and siblings unless the presumption is rebutted\n\nby a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary.\n\n5. The court may order the Department to coordinate the\n\nprovision of services provided by other agencies in order that the\n\ncourt-approved permanency plan may be achieved.\n\n6. a. If the court determines that reunification services\n\nare appropriate for the child and a parent, the court\n\nshall allow reasonable visitation with the parent or\n\nlegal guardian from whose custody the child was\n\nremoved, unless visitation is not in the best interest\n\nof the child, taking into consideration:\n\n(1) protection of the physical safety of the child,\n\n(2) protection of the life of the child,\n\n(3) protection of the child from being traumatized by\n\ncontact with the parent, and\n\n(4) the child's expressed wishes.\n\nb. A court may not deny visitation based solely on the\n\nfailure of a parent to prove that the parent has not\n\nused legal or illegal substances or complied with an\n\naspect of the court-ordered individualized service\n\nplan.\n\n7. The court may order a permanent guardianship to be\n\nestablished as more fully set forth in Section 1-4-709 of this\n\ntitle.\n\n8. Except as otherwise provided by law, the court may dismiss\n\nthe petition and terminate its jurisdiction at any time for good\n\ncause shown when doing so is in the best interests of the child.\n\nB. Any order entered pursuant to this section shall include:\n\n1. A statement informing the child's parent that the\n\nconsequences of noncompliance with the requirement of the court may\n\ninclude termination of the parent's rights with respect to the\n\nchild; or\n\n2. A statement informing the child's legal guardian or\n\ncustodian that the consequences of noncompliance with the\n\nrequirement of the court may include removal of the child from the\n\ncustody of the legal guardian or custodian.\n\nC. 1. In any dispositional order removing a child from the\n\nhome of the child, the court shall make a determination as to\n\nwhether, in accordance with the best interests and the health,\n\nsafety, or welfare of the child, reasonable efforts have been made\n\nto provide for the safe return of the child to the child's own home.\n\n2. If reasonable efforts are required for the safe return of\n\nthe child to the child's home, the court shall allow the parent of\n\nthe child not less than three (3) months to correct the conditions\n\nwhich led to the adjudication of the child as a deprived child;\n\nhowever, the time period for reunification services may not exceed\n\nseventeen (17) months from the date that the child was initially\n\nremoved from the child's home, absent a finding of compelling\n\nreasons to the contrary.\n\n3. If the court finds that continuation of reasonable efforts\n\nto return the child home are inconsistent with the permanency plan\n\nfor a child, the court shall determine whether reasonable efforts\neriod for reunification services may not exceed\n\nseventeen (17) months from the date that the child was initially\n\nremoved from the child's home, absent a finding of compelling\n\nreasons to the contrary.\n\n3. If the court finds that continuation of reasonable efforts\n\nto return the child home are inconsistent with the permanency plan\n\nfor a child, the court shall determine whether reasonable efforts\n\nhave been made to complete the steps necessary to finalize the\n\npermanent placement of the child.\n\n4. Reasonable efforts to reunite the child with the child's\n\nfamily shall not be required pursuant to the provisions of Section\n\n1-4-809 of this title.\n\nD. In any dispositional order involving a child sixteen (16)\n\nyears of age or older, the court shall make a determination, where\n\nappropriate, of the services needed to assist the child to make the\n\ntransition from out-of-home care to independent living.\n\nE. In accordance with the safety or well-being of any child,\n\nthe court shall determine in any dispositional order whether\n\nreasonable efforts have been made to:\n\n1. Place siblings, who have been removed, together in the same\n\nfoster care, guardianship, or adoptive placement; and\n\n2. Provide for frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction\n\nin the case of siblings who have been removed and who are not placed\n\ntogether.","path":["OK Code","Title 10A"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os10A.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"a8242f82a9bfa172c12286312b17ff35c5509cc7a21dae8e5b5f6b9f28398c65","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-1-4-706","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-1-4-708"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}