In re Reginald W.

Filed 2/13/07  In re Reginald W. CA3

Received for posting 2/15/07

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED

California Rules of Court, rule 977(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 977(b).  This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 977.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

(Sacramento)

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     Cynthia W., mother of the minor, appeals from orders of the juvenile court terminating her parental rights.  (Welf. & Inst. Code, §§  366.26, 395.)^[1]  Appellant raises several contentions related to the section 366.26 hearing.  We shall affirm. 

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

     The six-year-old minor was removed from his father's custody in May 2004 in Marin County due to his father's mental illness and homelessness.  At disposition, the court ordered services for both the father and appellant.  The paternal grandparents, living in Maryland, expressed interest in placement of the minor.  Marin County initiated an investigation pursuant to the provisions of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) (Fam. Code, §  7900 et seq.) in October 2004 for possible placement of the minor with them. 

     Because appellant lived in Sacramento County and the father was not participating in services, the case was transferred to Sacramento County in November 2004.  The minor was moved to a foster home in Sacramento where he said he was happy.  Appellant failed to reunify with the minor, in part, due to her own mental health problems which she was unable to manage adequately.  The minor continued to do well in his foster home.  The court terminated services in July 2005, ordered a bonding assessment and set a section 366.26 hearing. 

     In August 2005, the social worker sent the paternal grandparents notice of the section 366.26 hearing scheduled for November 2005.  In September 2005, the social worker received a letter from the paternal grandparents seeking guardianship of the minor. 

     The assessment for the section 366.26 hearing, filed in November 2005, stated that the minor had monthly visits with appellant and that the bonding assessment was pending.  According to the assessment, the minor, who was seven by then, was in good health, developing appropriately and doing well in school.  Further, no behavioral problems were reported.  The minor's foster parent was interested in adopting him and a home study was pending.  The social worker had contacted the paternal grandmother, who informed the social worker that the prior ICPC was cancelled because she did not follow through with the process in early 2005 prior to leaving for her second home in Florida.  The paternal grandmother told the social worker she did not have time to pursue the matter and stated, â€