San Bernardino Cnty. Children & Family Servs. v. C.T. (In re Molly T.)

*541 I.

INTRODUCTION

In dependency proceedings, " 'reunification services' are 'activities designed to provide time-limited foster care services to prevent or remedy neglect, abuse, or exploitation, when the child cannot safely remain at home, and needs temporary foster care , while services are provided to reunite the family.' " ( In re A.C . (2008) 169 Cal.App.4th 636 , 643, 88 Cal.Rptr.3d 1 .) In this case, defendant and appellant, C.T. (Mother), appeals from the dependency court's dispositional judgment granting Mother reunification services in her absence, under Welfare and Institutions Code section 361.5.

Mother claims that her whereabouts were unknown on the date of the dispositional hearing for purposes of subdivision (b)(1) of section 361.5. Unlike other provisions of section 361.5, subdivision (b), a finding that the whereabouts of the parent or guardian are unknown under subparagraph (1) results in the setting of a six-month hearing rather than a selection and implementation hearing. If the court denies reunification services under section 361.5, subdivision (b)(1) and if the whereabouts of the parent become known within the first six months, the court may then…