In re Christian R. CA2/6

BACKGROUND

On August 29, 2007, Santa Barbara County Child Welfare Services (CWS) first detained then four-year-old Christian and placed him in foster care. Officers had

1 All statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code unless otherwise stated. called CWS after they arrested mother at home for possession of methamphetamine, and took her into custody. On August 31, 2007, CWS filed a failure to protect petition (§ 300, subd. (b).) The petition cited mother's recent arrest; her possession of methamphetamine in the home she shared with Christian; her failure to take Christian to school when she was "too busy;" her criminal history; and his father's criminal history. In mid-September 2007, CWS placed Christian with his maternal great- grandmother. On September 25, 2007, she left CWS a voicemail message which said she could no longer care for Christian and she had "'dropped' [him] off" at maternal grandmother's home. On September 26, CWS placed Christian in foster care with an unrelated family. It later placed him with maternal grandmother. Following her December 2007 release from jail, mother entered a sober living program. In March 2008, CWS…