In a child protection proceeding concerning a newborn apprehended shortly after birth, the grandmother moved to be added as a party and sought leave to file a plan of care.
The court applied the established discretionary factors governing party addition in child protection matters, including the child’s best interests, delay, necessity, and the proposed party’s capacity to advance a viable plan.
The motion was dismissed because adding the grandmother was not in the child’s best interests, would likely delay permanency, and the evidence did not satisfy the court that she could put forward a plan in the child’s best interests.