Court adds adoption, guardianship as concurrent permanency goals while keeping reunification option for infant in custody

A Lenawee County judge modified the permanency goal for 1-year-old Kenzie Wright in a permanency planning hearing, directing that adoption or juvenile guardianship be added as concurrent goals while continuing to recognize reunification and ordering the child to remain in her current foster placement.

The child, who has been in care for about a year, will remain in placement and the court set the next review for Sept. 30 at 1:30 p.m., the judge said. Guardian ad litem Nicole Underwood and the department recommended steps toward permanency after hearing testimony about the child’s development, parental progress and ongoing concerns about the father’s engagement and substance use.

Underwood, the court-appointed guardian ad litem, reported that the child is “continuing to just grow and thrive, where she is placed,” and described age-appropriate development: walking, making animal sounds and identifying colors and objects during book reading. Foster-care worker Macy Moore told the court the placement is meeting the child’s needs and said the child’s caregivers reported strong attachment…