Abandonment in Florida is defined as a situation where a parent, legal custodian, or caregiver, while able, makes no significant contribution to a child's care and maintenance or has failed to establish or maintain a substantial and positive relationship with a child, or both.

Abandonment in Florida is defined as a situation where a parent, legal custodian, or caregiver, while able, makes no significant contribution to a child's care and maintenance or has failed to establish or maintain a substantial and positive relationship with a child, or both.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It requires physical abandonment
• D. It requires removal of the child from home

Answer: (C)

Under Florida law, abandonment is judged by lack of care and lack of a substantial, positive relationship, not by whether the parent physically leaves the child. The statement is true because a parent, while able, can abandon a child by failing to contribute to the child’s care and maintenance or by failing to establish or maintain a meaningful relationship—without needing to remove the child from the home or be physically gone. Physical abandonment is not a requirement of the definition. The option that says it requires physical abandonment does not fit the concept, since the critical factors are ongoing support and relational ties, not mere physical absence.

Under Florida law, abandonment is judged by lack of care and lack of a substantial, positive relationship, not by whether the parent physically leaves the child. The statement is true because a parent, while able, can abandon a child by failing to contribute to the child’s care and maintenance or by failing to establish or maintain a meaningful relationship—without needing to remove the child from the home or be physically gone. Physical abandonment is not a requirement of the definition. The option that says it requires physical abandonment does not fit the concept, since the critical factors are ongoing support and relational ties, not mere physical absence.