Parents circumstances

To help you determine whether the parents may be unable to care for their child, consider whether the parents:

• are deceased or otherwise cannot be found
• are physically incapable of caring for the child (for example because of a disability, alcohol or other drug dependency etc)
• are emotionally or psychologically unable to care for the child
• are financially unable to care for the child or
• there has been a breakdown in the child's family and the child's parents are unable to care for, or provide fully for the child

For further information see:

• Family breakdown

To help you determine whether the parents may have exceptional circumstances and may be unwilling to care for the child, consider whether the parents:

• feel that their child would be better cared for in another environment (for example, a child with special needs who requires full-time attention from their caregiver that they feel they cannot give)
• feel that their family is at risk while that child remains in their care (for example, their child has behavioural problems or other issues which could result in other family members being placed at risk should the child remain in their care)

Note these are examples only, and other situations may also fit the criteria of a parent being unable or, in exceptional circumstances, unwilling to care for the child.