Guardianship is a legal arrangement in which an individual (a guardian) is given legal authority and responsibility to care for another individual (a ward). Parents may appoint guardians of their minor children in a will or other estate planning document so if both parents die before their children reach the age of majority (become adults) the guardian will have the legal authority to care for the children. Or if a minor’s child’s only living parent expects to lose the ability to care for the child due to the parent’s deteriorating health or other incapacity, the parent may initiate a legal process to make an adult relative or friend the child’s legal guardian. And if a minor child’s parents are not fit or able to care for their child, the court may appoint a legal guardian.

A legal guardian is responsible for the ward’s daily care, including the ward’s food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, and financial needs. But a legal guardian’s responsibility is not permanent, and generally terminates when the minor child reaches the age of majority (usually 18). And if the ward’s parent or parents become able to care for the ward again, the court may end the guardianship. If the ward has special needs, the guardianship may continue after the ward becomes an adult.

The temporary nature of a guardianship, and the fact that it is supervised by the court, is different from the adoption process in which the adoptive parents assume the same responsibilities as biological parents.

In Washington State, guardianship is a legal status where a guardian is appointed to care for a minor (the ward) when the parents are unable to do so. This can occur through parental designation in a will or estate planning document, or by court appointment if the parents are deceased, incapacitated, or deemed unfit. The guardian is responsible for the ward's basic needs, including food, shelter, education, healthcare, and financial matters. The guardianship arrangement is typically temporary and ends when the child reaches the age of majority, which is 18 years old in Washington. However, the court can terminate the guardianship earlier if the parents regain the ability to care for the child. In cases where the ward has special needs, guardianship may extend into adulthood. Unlike adoption, guardianship does not permanently sever the legal relationship between the child and their biological parents and remains under court supervision.