IN RE GLENN, PATRICK, GEORGE, CASEY & JONATHON BURCH MINORS
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In the Matter of GCB, PWB, GHB, CWB, and JAB,
Minors.
FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY,
UNPUBLISHED
April 20, 2001
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
No. 228051
Bay Circuit Court
Family Division
LC No. 99-006596-NA
BARBA BURCH,
Respondent-Appellant,
and
PATRICK BURCH,
Respondent.
In the Matter of GCB, PWB, GHB, CWB, and JAB,
Minors.
FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY,
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
No. 228211
Bay Circuit Court
Family Division
LC No. 99-006596-NA
PATRICK BURCH,
Respondent-Appellant,
and
BARBA BURCH,
-1-
Respondent.
Before: Cavanagh, P.J., and Markey and Collins, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
In these consolidated appeals, respondents appeal by right from the family court order
terminating their parental rights to the minor children under MCL 712A.19b(3)(c)(i) and (g);
MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(3)(c)(i) and (g). We affirm.
We conclude that the family court did not clearly err in finding that the statutory grounds
for termination were established by clear and convincing evidence. MCR 5.974(I); In re Trejo,
462 Mich 341, 356-357; 612 NW2d 407 (2000); In re Miller, 433 Mich 331, 337; 445 NW2d
161 (1989). Further, the evidence did not show that termination of respondents’ parental rights
was clearly not in the children’s best interests. MCL 712A.19b(5); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(5);
Trejo, supra. As for respondent mother’s claim that petitioner failed to make reasonable efforts
to reunify the family in light of her mild mental retardation, we note that she was provided with
numerous services designed to improve her parenting over a fifteen-year period. Petitioner is not
required “to provide respondent with full-time, live-in assistance with her children.” In re Terry,
240 Mich App 14, 27-28; 610 NW2d 563 (2000). Regardless of disability, “[i]f a parent cannot
or will not meet her irreducible minimum parental responsibilities, the needs of the child must
prevail over the needs of the parent.” Id. at 28 (citation omitted). For this same reason, and
because the record reveals that respondent mother’s counsel requested at every step in the
proceedings that she be provided with more services and time to develop into an adequate parent,
we reject her claim that she was denied the effective assistance of counsel by virtue of a failure to
advance that position. In re Hensley, 220 Mich App 331, 336; 560 NW2d 642 (1996). Thus, the
family court did not err in terminating respondents’ parental rights to the children.
We affirm.
/s/ Mark J. Cavanagh
/s/ Jane E. Markey
/s/ Jeffrey G. Collins
-2-
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