C.C.

I.

BACKGROUND

In August 2014, the Contra Costa County Bureau of Children and Family Services (Bureau) filed four petitions pursuant to section 300, subdivision (b), one each regarding mother and father’s four children, J.E., then age twenty three months, Josiah E., age three, Julian E., age eight, and Josef E., age nine. The children were detained and placed with a relative. A. The Court’s Jurisdictional Ruling At the September 2014 jurisdictional hearing, father and mother pleaded no contest to amended petition allegations and stipulated that the allegations constituted a basis for the court to assume jurisdiction. These allegations were that mother and father had not provided adequate and consistent medical care for their children in specified ways and had pervasive substance abuse problems that impaired their ability to parent, in that they were using methamphetamine and marijuana. In connection with the jurisdictional hearing, father (and his counsel) executed a “waiver of rights” form. Father indicated on the form that he understood the amended petition and was pleading no contest to the allegations. Under a section entitled “Consequences,” he initialed a statement that…