Adopting from Foster Care Blog - In the News! Bio Visits after Adoption

07/13/06

In the News! Bio Visits after Adoption

Posted by : Michelle Vandepas in Foster Adoption Blog at 07:13 am , 309 words, 149 views
Categories: Issues in Foster-Adopt Care, Nature vs Nurture

A while back ago I blogged about forced visitations with bio family after an adoption has been finalized. In that blog I asked if we should be forcing visitation against the parents wishes?...

Now I read that Ontario is trying a new program where the court is allowing - enforcing - visitations after adoption. The thinking here is that the adoption process will speed up and more children will find forever families quickly.

Sound wierd? Stay with me here.

Apparently three quarters of Canadian children are ineligible for adoption becuase of court ordered visitations or contact with birth families. By allowing and enforcing the visitation after adoption, the adoption can finalize without breaking the courts order.

I presume this is not for families in a reunification process, but for families who have ongoing contact but cannot parent.

Here's more:

NEW LAW GIVES ONTARIO FOSTER CHILDREN HOMES THROUGH OPEN ADOPTION
A new law will enable thousands of children in foster care in the Canadian province of Ontario to become eligible for adoption through open adoption agreements, according to an April 4 article published in the Toronto Star. “Adoption Law Gives Foster Children Hope,” by Kerry Gillespie, reports that three-quarters of children in foster care are currently ineligible for adoption because their birth families have a court-ordered right to contact them.

The new law, which was approved in March and will be in force by this November, allow these children to be adopted through open adoption agreements that enable them to maintain contact with their birth families. The law also is more flexible, allowing foster children to stay with family members and creating a province-wide registry to match available children with prospective adoptive parents.

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So, speeding up adoptions for children who will have contact with birth family anyway? Maybe this is a good thing? Comments anyone?

Read one article about it here:

5 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Cyndi [Member]

· http://kazakhstan.adoptionblogs.com/

How do forced visitations take into consideration the best interest of the child? In so many situations it is in the child's best interest to sever ties, especially where reunification is not a possibility after many, many attempts. I used to be a juvenile prosecutor who severed parental rights, and so many times I would see children filled with false hope of reunification based on continued contact with bio parents. When the reunification failed the kids were just crushed. Now our Judge cuts off contact with bio parents once the severance petition is filed. I think this is a different situation than a true open adoption where the bio parent is participating and doing a great job; these are situations where obviously the bio parenting failed, and the system is trying to use a technicality to sever rights adn complete an adoption. The problem is kids might be filled with false hope. Surely there is another way.

Permalink 07/13/06 @ 08:16

Comment from: Michelle Vandepas [Member]

· http://fost-adopt.adoptionblogs.com/

......"I used to be a juvenile prosecutor who severed parental rights, and so many times I would see children filled with false hope....
....and the system is trying to use a technicality ...."

It is my understanding that this is a NEW LAW/BILL just passed, and that it isn't a technicality at all, but something they designed especially to work this way..... Only time will tell if it works for them, but I'm sure there are many others who have experiences such as yourself. Thanks for the comment. -

Permalink 07/13/06 @ 12:06

Comment from: Jan Baker [Member]

· http://birthfamily-search.adoptionblogs.com/

I read the article and it sounds like a wonderful concept to me. I think it is rare that there is a need to completely sever all ties with birth families. I applaude the concept of attempts to maintain the ties when possible.

Permalink 07/13/06 @ 13:07

Comment from: Dr. G [Member]

· http://adoptive-parenting.adoptionblogs.com/

zheez, this is a tough one. logically i see the rationale behind this and i understand how it could be successful. emotionally? whew boy. i know i would have a difficult time with this. but, i guess i could make it work for my childrens' sake.

Permalink 07/13/06 @ 21:14

Comment from: Michelle Vandepas [Member]

· http://fost-adopt.adoptionblogs.com/

You know, I think there may be times when it is for the best. Mostly though, I hate a court to mandate visitation - I'd rather see it come through mediation when it really is the best option. - A friend was fostering 4 children who couldn't go up for adoption, - mom wouldn't relinquish rights, but the mom had a very very low IQ- and wasn't able to handle the children. It was a messy situation. Something like this might have solved it for this family.

Permalink 07/17/06 @ 09:39

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