§ 6-117. Permanent guardianship.
A. A permanent guardianship awards permanent care and control of a child to a person other than the child’s parent although there is no termination of parental rights.
B. The Court may appoint a permanent guardian for a child under such terms and conditions as the Court deems appropriate.
C. The child’s parents, grandparents and other family members shall have rights of reasonable visitation unless the Court finds that the visitation would endanger the child or significantly impair his emotional development.
D. There shall be a presumption of continued permanent guardianship in order to provide stability for the child. A permanent guardianship shall be terminated only upon the grounds that the permanent guardian is no longer suitable rather than the competence or suitability of the parent.
E. The Court shall not terminate the guardianship unless it finds that a change has occurred in the circumstances such that a termination of the guardianship is necessary to serve the best interests of the child. The Court shall retain the current guardian unless:
1. The guardian agrees to the termination; or
2. The child has been integrated into the family of another with the consent of the current guardian; or
3. The child’s present environment endangers his health or significantly impairs his emotional development and the harm likely to be caused by a change of environment is outweighed by the advantage of a change to the child.