Step one. Who can apply and where, and what documents are needed?

Who can apply?

Guardians (carers) can be:
1.    persons up to the age of 65, except for a close relative (a child’s close relatives are grandparents, brothers and sisters), if he/she wants to temporarily take care of a child under the age of 10 years;
2.  at least 21 years old, except for the child’s close relative.

The person who wants to be a guardian (carer) does not have to be married or own a home as his/her own property. It is important that a person who wants to take care of a child left without parental care has adequate conditions for the child’s growth and development. 

It’s important to note that you won’t be able to be a guardian (carer) if:
1. You do not meet the age requirement;

2. You are declared incapacitated or have limited capacity in this area; 

3. a child has been removed from You;

4. If You have already been an adoptive parent and Your parental authority has been restricted because you have not performed Your duties properly or because You have been separated from the child;

5. if You have been removed from the position of a guardian (carer) because of inadequate performance of Your duties as a guardian (carer), because You have failed to ensure the protection of the rights and interests of the person being cared for, or because You have used Your rights for selfish purposes.

Where do I need to apply?

If you want to provide guardianship (care) for a child without parental care, you have to apply to the territorial division of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service in your place of residence, whose employees will help you start the guardianship (care) procedure in a family. 

What documents do I need to submit?

You need to submit:
1. An application in which you state your name, surname, date of birth, personal code, place of residence, telephone number(s), e-mail address(es), the number of children you wish to foster, their age, gender, type of guardianship (care), and any other relevant information (application form)
2. Medical certificates (Form No. 046/a), in the form prescribed by the Minister of Health, issued no more than twelve months before the date of submission of the application to the territorial division of the Service to become a guardian (carer) of a child;
3. Written consent from persons over the age of 16 living together that you want to become a guardian (carer) of a child left without parental care. (consent form)

Upon receipt of the above documents, the territorial division of the Service shall verify the information it receives:
1. from the Population Register of the Republic of Lithuania - data on the relationship of the natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of a child, a founder of a foster family, a participant of a foster family, to the child, if he/she is a relative (the data on the fact whether this person is related to the child by a relationship of consanguinity, and, if so, what kind of a relationship of consanguinity is it (close relatives, other relatives (a specific name of the relationship shall be indicated)));
2. from the Population Register of the Republic of Lithuania - data on the marital status, marriage (date of marriage if the person is married), divorce (date of divorce if the person is divorced), death of a spouse (date of death of a spouse, if the person is a widow(er) (data on whether the person is married, divorced, or widow(er)) of an individual who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of the child or a founder or participant in a foster family;
3. from the Register of Suspects, Accused and Convicted Persons - data on a natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of a child, a founder or participant of a foster family, as well as data on the person’s spouse or on a person living together who has not registered a marriage, and on any other persons over 16 years of age who are living together, i.e. whether or not the person(s) has (have) been convicted of intentional offences and other criminal offences referred to in Article 3.269 clause 6 of the Civil Code, whether or not the conviction is spent or quashed (details of whether or not the person has been convicted of the criminal offences referred to in Article 3.269 clause 6 of the Civil Code; if any, the name of the offence, the article (part, clause) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania which refers to the offence, the date of the judgement);
4. from the Register of Administrative Offences - data on a natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of a child, a founder or participant of a foster family, as well as data on his/her spouse or a person who has not registered a marriage and other persons older than 16 years of age who are living together, i.e. the fact that the person(s) has (have not) been held administratively liable (if the person has been imposed an administrative penalty and/or an administrative measure, the article (part, clause) of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Lithuania, where the administrative offence is referred to, and the date on which the offence was committed, must be indicated);
5. from the Register of Persons with Incapacity and Limited Capacity - data on whether or not a natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of a child, a founder or a participant of a foster family, and his/her spouse or a person living together without having registered a marriage, has been recognised as incapable of exercising legal capacity in the field of guardianship (care) of a child or as having limited capacity in the area of guardianship (care) of a child (data on whether or not the person has been recognised as incapable of exercising legal capacity or having limited capacity in this area; if so, the date of the court decision (order) and its date of entry into force);
6. from the Information System of Social Support for Families (hereinafter - SPIS) - data on whether or not a child has been separated from a natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of a child, a founder or participant of a foster family (data on whether or not a child has been separated from the person; if a child has been separated from the person, the period of the child’s guardianship (care) must be indicated, as well as the reasons for the separation from the child);
7. from the SPIS - data on whether or not the natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of a child, a founder or participant of a foster family, as well as his/her spouse or a person who has not registered a marriage and another person over 16 years of age living with him/her, has or has not been subjected to a restriction of parental authority (data on whether or not this person has, has or has not been subjected to a restriction of parental authority; if the person has been/is subject to a restriction of parental authority, the date of the restriction of parental authority, the reasons for the restriction of parental authority);
8. from the SPIS - data on whether or not the powers of a natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer), a founder or participant of a foster family, and of his/her spouse or a person who has not registered his/her marriage and another person over 16 years of age living together, as a guardian (carer) of a child have been terminated on the grounds set out in Article 3.246(2) of the Civil Code (data on whether or not the powers of such a person have been terminated as a guardian (carer) of a child on the grounds set out in Article 3246(2) of the Civil Code);
9. from the SPIS - data on whether the natural person who wishes to become a guardian (carer) of the child, a founder or participant of a foster family, or his/her spouse, or a person living together without having registered a marriage, or any other person over 16 years of age living with him/her has not had his/her agreement of cooperation and service provision between him/her and the care centre terminated due to improper performance of the agreement (details of whether or not he/she has had his/her agreement of cooperation and service provision between him/her and the care centre terminated for improper performance of the agreement);
10. from the SPIS - data on the periods of guardianship (care) (date(s) of appointment as a guardian; date(s) of termination of the guardian's (carer's) powers), if the natural person wishing to become a founder or participant of a foster family fulfils the condition referred to in Article 4(1), clause 1, sub-clause a of the Law on Foster Families. 

Application and consent forms:

Application form for appointment as a guardian (carer) of a child

Consent form for the appointment of a guardian (carer) for a child over the age of 16