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I don't know if different states have different legislation, but I think this varies widely. I've seen people get children back very, very quickly (we're talking DAYS), but I've also see cases drag on for YEARS. Where I live, there is no minimum (basically, if the judge is satisfied that they have met requirements, they can have the kids back) and the new law is that the maximum is a full year in custody - after an accumulation of 365 days lifetime TOTAL there is supposed to be an automatic TPR. (unfortunately, some judges are only counting that from AFTER the law was passed, so it doesn't help kids that have already been languishing in care.). I'll use my foster son as an example, just to show you. His first time in care was when he was 2 or 3 - and it was for a couple or three months. He is now 15, and he's been in care a total of 14 times. Many were only for two weeks or a month. When he was 9 he spent a YEAR in a group home. Other than that, his longest placements have been with the foster family he was placed with in September, where he lived for 4 months, and with us, where he has now been for 7 months. No rhyme or reason to it that I can tell!
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