In Re: Adoption of R.M.S., Appeal of: C.Q. ( 2018 )


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  • J-S63015-18
    NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
    IN RE: ADOPTION OF R.M.S. IN RE:           :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    ADOPTION OF D.J.S.                         :        PENNSYLVANIA
    :
    :
    APPEAL OF: C.Q., MOTHER                    :
    :
    :
    :
    :   No. 767 WDA 2018
    Appeal from the Decree April 19, 2018
    In the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County
    Orphans' Court at No(s): 57 of 2017, 58 of 2017
    BEFORE:      OTT, J., MURRAY, J., and STEVENS, P.J.E.
    MEMORANDUM BY OTT, J.:                              FILED NOVEMBER 05, 2018
    C.Q. (“Mother”) appeals from the April 19, 2018 orders in the Court of
    Common Pleas of Westmoreland County involuntarily terminating her parental
    rights to her daughter, R.M.S., born in August of 2011, and her son, D.J.S.,
    born in January of 2014 (collectively, “Children”). 1 Upon careful review, we
    affirm.
    We summarize the relevant facts and procedural history, as follows. The
    Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau (“Agency”) received six reports
    regarding this family between September 13, 2011, and August 27, 2015,
    ____________________________________________
       Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
    1By separate orders dated April 19, 2018, and entered on April 23, 2018, the
    orphans’ court involuntarily terminated the parental rights of Children’s father,
    C.J.S. (“Father”). He did not file notices of appeal.
    J-S63015-18
    alleging, inter alia, that Mother had mental health needs, including, but not
    limited to, poor anger management, and was unable to care properly for
    Children. Trial Court Opinion, 4/19/18, at 3, ¶ 11. On August 27, 2015, the
    court removed Children from Mother and placed them in the custody of the
    Agency due to Mother’s incarceration for charges involving simple assault and
    harassment and her subsequent placement in a mental health facility.2 
    Id. at ¶
    10; N.T., 4/12/18, at 14, 26. The court adjudicated them dependent on
    September 15, 2015. Trial Court Opinion, 4/19/18, at 3, ¶ 12.
    Children’s placement goal was reunification with Mother. Permanency
    review hearings occurred on February 8, 2016, August 29, 2016, February 27,
    2017, August 28, 2017, and February 5, 2018. 
    Id. at 5-6,
    ¶ 23. At each
    hearing, the court found Mother to be minimally compliant with her family
    service plan (“FSP”) objectives, which included, in part: obtain a mental health
    evaluation and follow recommended treatment; cooperate with medication
    management        and    take    any    prescribed   medication;   complete   anger
    ____________________________________________
    2 The certified record does not reveal the victim of Mother’s crimes; however,
    the record indicates that it was either Children’s maternal grandmother or
    their maternal great-grandmother. N.T., 4/12/18, at 32-33. The record
    reveals that Mother was sentenced to Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition
    (“ARD”). 
    Id. at 14.
    Further, in 2017, Mother was charged with simple assault,
    terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, and harassment, to which she
    pleaded guilty. 
    Id. at 15.
    There is no indication in the record regarding the
    victim(s) or the sentence Mother received for the most recent crimes.
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    management counseling; and complete parenting instruction. 
    Id. at 3-4,
    ¶
    12.
    On May 12, 2017, the Agency filed petitions for the involuntary
    termination of Mother’s parental rights pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 2511(a)(8)
    and (b).     The hearing on the petitions occurred on October 12, 2017,
    December 7, 2017, January 18, 2018,3 and April 12, 2018.           The Agency
    presented testimony from Marie Wolf-Hatalowich and Tayler Flores, Mother’s
    mental health therapists; Amber Gordon and Angela Sluka, permanency
    specialists at Project Star who supervised Mother’s visits with the Children;
    and Neil Rosenblum, Ph.D., via telephone, who performed interactional
    evaluations of Children with Mother and their foster parents. Dr. Rosenblum
    also performed a mental health assessment of Mother.          In addition, the
    Agency presented the testimony of Carol Hughes, M.A., who conducted
    therapy between Mother and R.M.S., and Kim Carpinelli, the Agency
    ____________________________________________
    3 Before the testimonial evidence commenced on January 18, 2018, Mother
    had been in the courtroom, but she was transported to the hospital after telling
    a caseworker that she “is going to hurt herself.” N.T., 1/18/18, at 6, 24.
    Thereafter, the Agency’s counsel made an oral motion for the suspension of
    Mother’s supervised visits with Children, which was then occurring twice per
    month for 90 minutes. 
    Id. at 8,
    51. The orphans’ court received testimonial
    evidence in support of the Agency’s motion, and then granted its request
    pending the next permanency hearing scheduled for February 5, 2018. 
    Id. at 28.
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    caseworker. Mother, who was represented by counsel, did not present any
    evidence on her own behalf.4
    By orders dated April 19, 2018, and entered on April 23, 2018, the
    orphans’ court involuntarily terminated Mother’s parental rights.       Mother
    timely filed a notice of appeal and a concise statement of errors complained
    of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a)(2)(i) and (b).5 On May 25, 2018,
    ____________________________________________
    4 Children, who were ages six and four by the conclusion of the termination
    proceeding, had the benefit of legal counsel as well as a guardian ad litem
    (“GAL”) during the proceeding. See In re T.S., __ A.3d __, 
    2018 WL 4001825
    at * 1 (Pa. 2018) (citing In re Adoption of L.B.M., 
    161 A.3d 172
    , 174 (Pa.
    2017) (concluding that, pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 2313(a), a child who is the
    subject of a contested involuntary termination proceeding has a statutory right
    to counsel who discerns and advocates for the child’s legal interests, which
    our Supreme Court has defined as a child’s preferred outcome.)
    Children’s counsel stated on the record in open court that she met with
    Children, “and their position is that they wish to remain in the foster home.
    [R.M.S.] was able to express to me that she wants to stay there until she's
    way old, and that’s how she expressed it to me. [D.J.S.] was more engaged
    in the . . . show on TV, however, he was extremely attached and affectionate
    to the foster mother. . . .” N.T., 4/12/18, at 41. Children’s counsel has also
    filed an appellee brief in support of the orders involuntarily terminating
    Mother’s parental rights.
    In addition, the GAL stated on the record in open court that she has “been
    on the case since September of 2015 . . . [a]nd [Children] have expressed to
    me that they want to remain [with their foster parents] and that those are
    their parents. . . .” 
    Id. The GAL
    stated to the orphans’ court that it was in
    Children’s best interest to terminate Mother’s parental rights. 
    Id. at 42.
    5 The record reveals that Mother filed one notice of appeal, which was copied
    and included in the separate records. We caution Mother that the correct
    procedure in this instance is to have filed a separate notice of appeal for each
    child. See Pa.R.A.P. 341, Note (“Where . . . one or more orders resolves
    issues arising on more than one docket or relating to more than one judgment,
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    the orphans’ court issued an opinion pursuant to Rule 1925(a), wherein it
    incorporated its opinion accompanying the subject orders.
    On appeal, Mother presents the following questions for review:
    I.     Whether the [orphans’] [c]ourt erred in finding by clear and
    convincing evidence that the moving party met its burden
    as to terminating the parental rights of Mother under 23
    Pa.C.S. § 2511(a)(8)[?]
    II.    Whether the [orphans’] [c]ourt erred in finding by clear and
    convincing evidence that the moving party met [its] burden
    under 23 Pa.C.S. § 2511(b) that the best interest of the
    Children are met by terminating Mother’s parental rights[?]
    Mother’s brief at 4 (emphasis in original).
    We review Mother’s questions under an abuse of discretion standard, as
    follows:
    The standard of review in termination of parental rights cases
    requires appellate courts to accept the findings of fact and
    credibility determinations of the trial court if they are supported
    by the record. If the factual findings are supported, appellate
    courts review to determine if the trial court made an error of law
    or abused its discretion. A decision may be reversed for an abuse
    of   discretion    only   upon     demonstration      of    manifest
    unreasonableness, partiality, prejudice, bias, or ill-will. The trial
    court’s decision, however, should not be reversed merely because
    the record would support a different result. We have previously
    emphasized our deference to trial courts that often have first-hand
    observations of the parties spanning multiple hearings.
    ____________________________________________
    separate notices of appeal must be filed.”). Further, our Supreme Court has
    recently held that, in all future cases, the failure to file separate notices of
    appeal from an order resolving issues on more than one docket will “require[]
    the appellate court to quash the appeal.” Commonwealth v. Walker, 
    185 A.3d 969
    , 977 (Pa. 2018). Because Mother filed her notice of appeal before
    June 1, 2018, when our Supreme Court filed Walker, we do not quash her
    appeal.
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    In re T.S.M., 
    71 A.3d 251
    , 267 (Pa. 2013) (citations and quotation marks
    omitted).
    Termination of parental rights is governed by Section 2511 of the
    Adoption Act, which requires a bifurcated analysis.      We have explained as
    follows.
    Initially, the focus is on the conduct of the parent. The party
    seeking termination must prove by clear and convincing evidence
    that the parent’s conduct satisfies the statutory grounds for
    termination delineated in Section 2511(a). Only if the court
    determines that the parent’s conduct warrants termination of his
    or her parental rights does the court engage in the second part of
    the analysis pursuant to Section 2511(b): determination of the
    needs and welfare of the child under the standard of best interests
    of the child. One major aspect of the needs and welfare analysis
    concerns the nature and status of the emotional bond between
    parent and child, with close attention paid to the effect on the child
    of permanently severing any such bond.
    In re L.M., 
    923 A.2d 505
    , 511 (Pa. Super. 2007) (citations omitted).
    The following provisions are relevant in this case:
    (a) General Rule.—The rights of a parent in regard to a child
    may be terminated after a petition filed on any of the following
    grounds:
    ...
    (8)   The child has been removed from the care of the
    parent by the court or under a voluntary agreement with
    an agency, 12 months or more have elapsed from the date
    of removal or placement, the conditions which led to the
    removal or placement of the child continue to exist and
    termination of parental rights would best serve the needs
    and welfare of the child.
    ...
    (b) Other considerations.―The court in terminating the rights
    of a parent shall give primary consideration to the developmental,
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    physical and emotional needs and welfare of the child. The rights
    of a parent shall not be terminated solely on the basis of
    environmental factors such as inadequate housing, furnishings,
    income, clothing and medical care if found to be beyond the
    control of the parent. With respect to any petition filed pursuant
    to subsection (a)(1), (6) or (8), the court shall not consider any
    efforts by the parent to remedy the conditions described therein
    which are first initiated subsequent to the giving of notice of the
    filing of the petition.
    23 Pa.C.S. § 2511(a)(8), (b).
    We have explained, “Section 2511(a)(8) sets a 12-month time frame
    for a parent to remedy the conditions that led to the children’s removal by the
    court.” In re A.R., 
    837 A.2d 560
    , 564 (Pa. Super. 2003). Once the 12-month
    period has been established, the court must next determine whether the
    conditions that led to the child’s removal continue to exist, despite the
    reasonable good faith efforts of the child welfare agency supplied over a
    realistic time period. 
    Id. In addition,
    this Court has explained that termination under Section
    2511(a)(8) does not require the court to evaluate a parent’s current
    willingness or ability to remedy the conditions that initially caused placement
    or the availability or efficacy of child welfare agency services. In re Adoption
    of T.B.B., 
    835 A.2d 387
    , 396 (Pa. Super. 2003). The “relevant inquiry in this
    regard is whether the conditions that led to removal have been remedied and
    thus whether reunification of parent and child is imminent at the time of the
    hearing.” In re I.J., 
    972 A.2d 5
    , 11 (Pa. Super. 2009).
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    With respect to the “needs and welfare” analysis pertinent to Sections
    2511(a)(8) and (b), we have observed:
    [I]nitially, the focus in terminating parental rights is on the
    parent, under Section 2511(a), whereas the focus in Section
    2511(b) is on the child. However, Section 2511(a)(8) explicitly
    requires an evaluation of the “needs and welfare of the child” prior
    to proceeding to Section 2511(b), which focuses on the
    “developmental, physical and emotional needs and welfare of the
    child.” Thus, the analysis under Section 2511(a)(8) accounts for
    the needs of the child in addition to the behavior of the parent.
    Moreover, only if a court determines that the parent’s conduct
    warrants termination of his or her parental rights, pursuant to
    Section 2511(a), does a court “engage in the second part of the
    analysis pursuant to Section 2511(b): determination of the needs
    and welfare of the child under the standard of best interests of
    the child.” Accordingly, while both Section 2511(a)(8) and
    Section 2511(b) direct us to evaluate the “needs and welfare of
    the child,” we are required to resolve the analysis relative to
    Section 2511(a)(8), prior to addressing the “needs and welfare”
    of [the child], as proscribed by Section 2511(b); as such, they
    are distinct in that we must address Section 2511(a) before
    reaching Section 2511(b).
    In re Adoption of C.L.G., 
    956 A.2d 999
    , 1009 (Pa. Super. 2008) (en banc)
    (citations omitted).
    This Court has explained that the Section 2511(b) analysis involves
    “[i]ntangibles such as love, comfort, security, and stability are involved in the
    inquiry into the needs and welfare of the child.” In re C.M.S., 
    884 A.2d 1284
    ,
    1287 (Pa. Super. 2005) (citation omitted). Further, the trial court “must also
    discern the nature and status of the parent-child bond, with utmost attention
    to the effect on the child of permanently severing that bond.” 
    Id. (citation omitted).
    When evaluating a parental bond, “the court is not required to use
    expert testimony. Social workers and caseworkers can offer evaluations as
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    well.    Additionally, Section 2511(b) does not require a formal bonding
    evaluation.” In re Z.P., 
    994 A.2d 1108
    , 1121 (Pa. Super. 2010) (internal
    citations omitted). However, “[i]n cases where there is no evidence of any
    bond between the parent and child, it is reasonable to infer that no bond
    exists. The extent of any bond analysis, therefore, necessarily depends on
    the circumstances of the particular case.” In re K.Z.S., 
    946 A.2d 753
    , 762-
    763 (Pa. Super. 2008) (citation omitted).
    Instantly, in her brief, Mother presents one argument with respect to
    both issues on appeal. Mother’s sole argument is that the testimony of Dr.
    Rosenblum and Carol Hughes, M.A., does not support the orphans’ court’s
    conclusion that terminating her parental rights best serves Children’s needs
    and welfare under Section 2511(a)(8) and (b).             With respect to Dr.
    Rosenblum, Mother asserts that he did not “testify regarding specifics relative
    to the effect on [C]hildren of permanently severing the bond between” them
    and Mother. Mother’s brief at 8. With respect to Ms. Hughes, Mother baldly
    asserts that she completed her evaluation in 2016, “thus [it has] no
    evidentiary value relative to mother-child bond.”      
    Id. at 9.
      Further, she
    asserts that Ms. Hughes “did not perform a specific assessment of [M]other.”
    
    Id. at 8.
    Upon review, we conclude that Mother’s assertions are without merit.
    Initially, with respect to Section 2511(a)(8), the evidence reveals that
    Children have been in placement for 28 months, which is far in excess of the
    12-month statutory minimum.        In addition, the evidence reveals that the
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    conditions which led to Children’s placement continue to exist. Kim Carpinelli,
    the Agency caseworker, testified, in part, Mother “has made little to no
    progress with parenting and developing a healthy emotional relationship with
    the children.   She continues to struggle with anger issues and her mental
    health.” N.T., 4/12/18, at 17.
    Turning to whether terminating Mother’s parental rights will best serve
    Children’s needs and welfare under Section 2511(a)(8) and (b), the orphans’
    court made the following findings, which the testimonial evidence supports.
    Children are placed together in a pre-adoptive home, where they have resided
    since June of 2016. Trial Court Opinion, 4/19/18, at 8, ¶ 37. The female
    child, R.M.S., then age six, “regularly states that she wants to be adopted.”
    
    Id. at 8,
    ¶ 39. The court found the male child, D.J.S., then age four, “is very
    attached to his foster mother and does not want to leave her side.” 
    Id. at ¶
    40.   Further, Mother “has made little to no progress with parenting and
    developing a healthy emotional attachment to” Children.      
    Id. at ¶
    42.   In
    addition, Children “view their foster parents as their mother and father and
    refer to them as such.”   
    Id. at 9,
    ¶ 41.    The court concluded, “testimony
    indicates that there is little to no bond between [C]hildren and Mother, . . .,
    but there is a strong[er] bond between [C]hildren and their foster parents.”
    
    Id. at 10,
    ¶ 48.
    Dr. Rosenblum performed a mental health assessment of Mother in
    November of 2017. N.T., 12/7/17, at 10. He testified that Mother related an
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    extensive mental health history stemming from adolescence including
    depression, which involved “several suicide attempts that have continued into
    her adulthood. . ., and I think she said borderline personality disorder as well.”
    
    Id. at 12.
    Dr. Rosenblum testified that Mother “acknowledged at least three
    to four suicide attempts over the last year, the last [year] being in 2016.” 
    Id. at 13.
      Dr. Rosenblum testified that his testing confirmed that Mother has
    major depressive disorder and borderline personality disorder, and that she is
    at risk for suicide. 
    Id. at 15-20.
    He opined, “There’s no question that she is
    in need of intensive mental health treatment. I put in my report that I believe
    she would do well in a partial hospital program. . . . Typically this type of
    partial program could last for longer than what one would receive in just an
    inpatient hospitalization alone. . . .     It offers a greater opportunity for
    comprehensive treatment.” 
    Id. at 19.
    Dr. Rosenblum testified that Mother’s two diagnoses “indicat[e] that the
    prognosis for treatment is more guarded or is going to require a much greater
    period of time before any therapeutic intervention is going to lead to some
    success.” 
    Id. With respect
    to how Mother’s diagnoses relate to her parenting
    ability, he testified:
    I would say that [Mother is] highly compromised in her own
    personal functioning and her ability to respond to the needs of her
    children. Her ability to even benefit from parenting intervention
    is highly compromised because of her severe depression and the
    accompanying severe borderline personality diagnosis that is in
    existence as well.
    
    Id. at 21.
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    Dr. Rosenblum also performed an interactional evaluation of Mother and
    Children in November of 2017. He testified that Mother displayed “significant
    deficiencies” regarding “her rapport [with Children], her ability to demonstrate
    parental control, direction, use positive praise and encouragement, [and] set
    limits when necessary. . . .” 
    Id. at 24.
    Based on his observations, Dr. Rosenblum opined that Children do not
    share a parent-child bond with Mother. 
    Id. at 24,
    26. As such, he testified
    that Children’s relationship with Mother is not necessary and beneficial to
    them.    
    Id. at 27.
        In this regard, he testified that Children “have already
    transferred their primary attachments to foster parents,” whom he also
    observed during an interactional evaluation.6       
    Id. at 27.
       Based on the
    foregoing, we conclude that Dr. Rosenblum’s testimony, none of which is
    contradicted in the record, fully supports the court’s conclusion that
    terminating Mother’s parental rights serves Children’s needs and welfare
    pursuant to Section 2511(a)(8), and serves their developmental, physical, and
    emotional needs and welfare pursuant to Section 2511(b).
    Further, in contrast to Mother’s contention, we conclude that the
    testimony of Carol Hughes, M.A., is relevant to the needs and welfare analysis
    ____________________________________________
    6  Dr. Rosenblum testified that he discussed adoption with the older child,
    R.M.S. When he asked her if she knew what adoption was, “[s]he said it’s
    getting to stay with mommy and daddy[.] [S]he was referring to foster
    parents. When I asked her why she wanted to do that, she said because she
    loves them.” N.T., 12/7/17, at 25.
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    regarding R.M.S. under the subject provisions. Ms. Hughes, a psychologist,
    conducted nine therapy sessions between Mother and R.M.S. from June to
    November of 2016.         N.T., 12/7/17, at 50, 55.      When asked on direct
    examination whether she foresees any problems for R.M.S. if Mother’s
    parental rights are terminated, Ms. Hughes testified:
    Dr. Rosenblum spoke to that and he [is] the individual [who] has
    the most recent assessment data. My data is stemming from
    2016, but given the testimony that I heard, I would not anticipate
    that this would impair her functioning if parental rights were
    terminated, that [R.M.S.] would continue her development across
    all domains.
    
    Id. at 58.
    Nevertheless, the record does not indicate that a bond between
    Mother and R.M.S. had developed since Ms. Hughes worked with them in
    2016. Therefore, we conclude that her testimony is relevant to the needs and
    welfare of R.M.S.
    Ms. Hughes testified that she conducted “theraplay” between Mother
    and R.M.S., which she described as “a specialized technique” utilized for
    treatment of childhood trauma and bonding. 
    Id. at 45.
    She stated that the
    purpose of “theraplay” is “essentially trying to help repair a [parent-child]
    bond. . . .” 
    Id. at 65.
    Ms. Hughes initially observed as follows regarding the interaction
    between Mother and R.M.S.
    [Mother] was inconsistent in her interaction with [R.M.S.]. She
    was not able to structure [R.M.S.], was not able to effectively elicit
    cooperation from [R.M.S.] or effectively respond to [R.M.S.]’s
    behavior. One of the things that was most striking . . . [Mother]
    oftentimes looked at [R.M.S.] with an angry expression, an
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    expression of displeasure, rolling her eyes. In my report, I even
    call it an expression of disgust. At one point during the [initial
    observation], [Mother’s behavior] became so distressing and
    anxiety producing for [R.M.S.], it’s my opinion she couldn’t
    tolerate it anymore and she literally collapsed physically. She
    threw herself backward on the couch and was quite literally
    sobbing, and as I said, just threw herself backward getting herself
    away from [M]other. The end of the session was also significant.
    . . . I attempted to engage . . . in two Theraplay activities.
    [R.M.S.] was already too distressed and too dysregulated to really
    cooperate in any kind of manner. And what ended up happening,
    as she was crying and [M]other was not able to soothe her in any
    kind of effective way, mom literally ended up going out the door[,]
    pushing [R.M.S.] away from her[,] asserting, get away from me.
    Mother proceeded to go downstairs while [R.M.S.] was left
    sobbing.
    
    Id. at 49-50.
      Ms. Hughes opined that Mother “didn’t recognize how her
    parenting style and her interaction with [R.M.S.] was impacting . . . [her]
    connection with [R.M.S.], that she really didn’t recognize the need to change
    her parenting style and her own parenting pattern.”       
    Id. at 52-53.
        She
    testified that Mother did not make “any progress whatsoever” by the
    completion of the nine sessions. 
    Id. at 54.
    Ms. Hughes testified that R.M.S. displayed an “insecure ambivalent
    attachment pattern” with Mother, which she described as stemming “from the
    inconsistency in the parenting.” 
    Id. at 55.
    She explained, “Dr. Rosenblum
    had talked about whether the parent is accessible to the child and is
    responsive to the child’s needs. . . . [I]t has to do with the parent not being
    accessible to the child . . ., [he or she does not] meet the child’s needs on a
    consistent basis.”    
    Id. at 55-56.
        Significantly, Ms. Hughes testified,
    “[I]nsecure patterns of attachment will impact a child across domains of
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    development.     It will impact them educationally, their own attachment
    pattern, how they will socialize with other individuals, . . ., their sense of self-
    esteem, and competence, so it impacts across all domains. Your attachment
    pattern is your foundation for everything else that’s going to come in your
    life.” 
    Id. at 71.
    We discern no abuse of discretion to the extent that the
    orphans’ court considered the foregoing testimony by Ms. Hughes in
    terminating Mother’s parental rights to R.M.S.
    Furthermore, the testimony of Amber Gordon and Angela Sluka,
    permanency specialists from Project Star, who supervised Mother’s visits with
    Children, demonstrates that terminating Mother’s parental rights will serve
    Children’s needs and welfare pursuant to Section 2511(a)(8) and (b). Ms.
    Gordon testified that, from approximately September of 2015, until February
    of 2016, Children and Mother displayed affection at the beginning and end of
    the visits. N.T., 10/12/17, at 53-54. From February of 2016, until May of
    2017, which was the last visit Ms. Gordon supervised, she testified that neither
    Children nor Mother initiated any affection toward each other at the end of the
    visits. 
    Id. at 54-55,
    57. Ms. Sluka, who began supervising the visits in July
    of 2017, testified on direct examination:
    Q. [H]ow does [M]other react when she first sees [Children]?
    A. Flat affect.
    Q. I’m sorry?
    A. A very flat affect.
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    Q. Does she hug them? Kiss them?
    A. No.
    Q. Say hello to them?
    A. Yes. Sometimes.
    Q. How do [C]hildren react when it’s time to leave?
    A. They’re ready. They’re at the door. They’re ready to go. . . .
    
    Id. at 96-97.
        In contrast, Ms. Gordon and Ms. Sluka testified that, upon
    returning to their foster parents at the end of supervised visits, Children are
    very excited, and they run to them, hug them, and kiss them. 
    Id. at 55-56,
    102.
    Ms. Gordon and Ms. Sluka described Children’s relationship with Mother
    as that of “friends.” 
    Id. at 63,
    100-101. They testified that Children do not
    look to her for nurturing or guidance. 
    Id. at 63-64,
    102. Ms. Gordon testified
    that Children are “very bonded” to their foster parents. Further, Ms. Gordon
    and Ms. Sluka testified that R.M.S. has verbally expressed to them her desire
    to be adopted. 
    Id. at 55,
    117. Ms. Gordon and Ms. Sluka testified it would
    not be detrimental to Children if the court terminated Mother’s parental rights.
    
    Id. at 65,
    102.
    Finally, it is important to note the testimony of the Agency caseworker,
    Ms. Carpinelli, who testified that Children started to have behavioral problems
    after supervised visits with Mother.       She testified, “they would display
    behaviors such as . . . arguing or being a little bit resistant or just emotionally
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    J-S63015-18
    upset for about a week after . . ., and then by the time that they would
    regulate, they’d have another visit.” N.T., 4/12/18, at 19-20. However, since
    the court suspended Mother’s supervised visits in January of 2018, Ms.
    Carpinelli testified that Children do not display this behavior “at all.” 
    Id. at 20.
    In addition, she testified that Children “do not express that they miss
    having visits or request to have visits.” 
    Id. The foregoing
    testimonial evidence overwhelmingly supports the
    orphans’ court’s conclusion that terminating Mother’s parental rights will serve
    Children’s needs and welfare pursuant to Section 2511(a)(8) as well as their
    developmental, physical, and emotional needs and welfare pursuant to Section
    2511(b). Therefore, Mother’s argument on appeal fails. Because we discern
    no abuse of discretion by the orphans’ court in terminating Mother’s parental
    rights, we affirm.
    Orders affirmed.
    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 11/5/2018
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