Minor guardianships, once established through the Court, are not temporary but rather continue until the age of eighteen or terminated by the Court. An order establishing a guardianship will state that the minor may not be returned to the parent(s) without a prior court order.
When the minor attains the age of eighteen, the Court will issue an order discharging the guardian and closing the case. No action need be taken by the guardian.
In the event that a guardian or a parent wishes to request a termination of the guardianship, that person would need to complete a Petition to Terminate or Modify the Guardianship (PDF) (SCAO Form PC 675). The filing fee is $20 and is non-refundable. Once the petition has been filed, the petitioner may obtain a hearing date (which will be scheduled at least 5 to 6 weeks after the filing) and an investigation will be completed by the Department of Human Services who will make a recommendation to the Court whether a termination of the guardianship is in the child's best interests.
The petitioner will need to appear at the hearing to present their petition and testimony/evidence as to why the guardianship should be terminated. Again, the child cannot be returned to the parent(s) without a prior court order.