In re Tristen W. CA1/4

I. BACKGROUND1

On November 7, 2014, the Contra Costa County Bureau of Children and Family Services (Department) filed a dependency petition in this matter pursuant to

1 Given the narrow scope of this appeal, we focus our factual summary on matters relevant to the strength and quality of father’s relationship with Tristen.

1 subdivision (b) of section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,2 after Laura W. (mother) and Tristen’s half-sibling—who mother had just given birth to in the family home—both tested positive for methamphetamine. The petition alleged a history of substance abuse for both parents as well as an unsanitary home, due to an infestation of rats. Both two-year-old Tristen and his infant half-sibling, Jacob, were removed from their parents and placed together in foster care.3 At the detention hearing on November 10, 2014, the minors were formally detained and the matter was set for a jurisdictional hearing. Father was elevated to presumed father status with respect to Tristen and granted supervised visitation, a minimum of once per week for one hour. Mother and father had been involved in a relationship for nine years, but had not been dating for the last three.…