State law and district policy say that a parent or court petitioned guardian must be a resident of Utah in order for a minor to enroll in school. The Enrollment Form (PDF) information is needed by Prevention and Student Placement to process guardianship referrals. To receive guardianship assistance, please send or bring the completed form to Prevention and Student Placement.
The court has a website where patrons can create and print their own petition instead of hiring an attorney. The Guardianship Instructions (PDF) go through each step giving an overview of the process. Please read these instructions completely before proceeding. Since the website-generated documents do not need to be signed before filing the petition, it is realistic for a student to enroll in school within 24 hours after beginning the guardianship process. Notary service is provided by the court when the petition is filed. Waiving the $380 filing fee can be requested as part of the court website process.

A comprehensive Behavior Statement is required for students 12 years and older if they are not already enrolled in Granite School District. This statement contains information needed from the student’s previous community and school. Schools or police departments may have their own forms for reporting this information. Their forms may be used instead of the Granite District Behavior Statement, but some kind of police report (PDF) and school discipline report (PDF) are needed before Prevention and Student Placement can sign the Affidavit of Waiver that is required by the court before the final hearing date.

Once the petition has been filed, bring the case number and court date to Prevention and Student Placement to receive a memo of authorization to enroll in school. The authorization is valid until the court hearing where the letter of guardianship is issued.

What is Guardianship of a Minor Child?

Guardianship gives an adult who is not the child’s parent the authority to make decisions about the child instead of the child’s parents. Some examples of situations when you might ask the court for guardianship of a child are if you are:

• A relative, like a grandparent, who is raising a child and needs to enroll the child in school or take the child to the doctor or sign the child up for health insurance.
• A parent who wants to send their child to live with someone else like a relative or a friend for a long period of time (for example to go to school).

The guardian can be any responsible adult who is not the child’s parent. The guardian does not need to be related to the child.

Are you asking for guardianship of your grandchild or another family member? You might want to consider contacting Grandfamilies. They help families by offering support groups and referrals to other resources.

Alternatives to Guardianship

Guardianship through the court is not the only option. Choose the option that will work best for your situation. Here are some other options:

• Power of Attorney – A parent can give another adult temporary authority to make decisions for their child with a power of attorney.
• Nomination – A parent can nominate someone to be the guardian for their child in the future, if something happens and a guardian is needed.
• Conservatorship – This is common for a child who is receiving money or property like an inheritance or settlement.
• Juvenile Court Orders – If a child is in danger, contact Child Protective Services.

• District Court Orders – Custody disputes between a child’s parents are heard in divorce or parentage cases in district court. See our web page on child custody.
• School-Based Guardianship – A local school board can choose an adult in the district to be a child’s guardian. Utah Code section 53G-6-303. Contact your local school to ask about this option.
• Enrolling a child experiencing homelessness in school – Contact your local school and ask about the McKinney-Vento Act. 42 USC 1143
• Adoption – Adoption terminates the parents’ rights permanently and gives the rights to the child’s new adoptive parents.