There are a variety of factors in the Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 210, Section 3C to determine parental unfitness.  Not limited but includes where the parents abused or neglected the child or another immediate family member. The parents have maintained contact with the child for previous 6 months. The child who is 4 or older has been in foster care for at least 12 to 15 months and cannot be returned to his/her parents care.  If a child is under 4 and has been in foster care for at least 6 of the prior 12 months and cannot be returned to his parent’s care if the parents are not able to provide proper care for the child.  If the child has formed a strong positive bond with the new or substitute caretaker, they cannot be broken without harming the child and the parents are unable to avoid that harm.  The parents have put forth efforts to remedy the conditions that led to the child’s removal from the home and the child or another child has been subject to severe or repetitive physical, emotional or sexual abuse and neglect by the parent. The parent willfully failed to visit the child; parent willfully failed to pay for the support for the child; the parent has conditions that has prolonged and will prevent him/her from caring for the child; the parent is in jail and cannot provide a home for the child and there has been a prior pattern of neglect, other misconduct, or assault that resulted in serious bodily harm to the child is part of what parental unfitness means.