Denis and Paula Pitman first met Emily when, at age five months, she came to live with them as a foster child. Three years later, her biological mother gave up her parental rights, and Emily was sent to live with her biological father.

"The father took her from the Pitmans'... home to northwestern Montana, but within days, he called the Pitmans because Emily was upset and wanted to come home. For three months late in 2007, the girl was passed back and forth between the families, with the Pitmans driving more than 700 miles round-trip to collect her each time her biological father asked for help."

Then Emily's biological father died of a drug overdose. There was red tape to cut through, but eventually the court approved the Pitmans as Emily's adoptive parents. Emily now calls Paula Pitman her "forever mommy." Source: Montana Standard

Labels: foster_care, parental_rights

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Much has been reported recently about Dutch diplomat Raymond Poeteray and his wife, who have relinquished their parental rights for a daughter whom they adopted from Hong Kong six years ago. The couple sited the girl's emotional problems and inability to adapt to Dutch culture as reasons for their decision.

"After six years of raising a child, this is like giving away your own flesh and blood. Should there be a no-return policy on adoptions?... When parents no longer want a child, there is no good way to handle the situation."

The author of this opinion piece in a New Brunswick paper uses the Poeterays situation to remind others how serious the decision is to adopt. It's not something that should be entered into lightly, because significant damaged can be caused to the child if things don't work out. Read more at DailyTargum.com

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Labels: parental_rights, responsibilities, risks

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Virginia has become the latest state to develop a registry that's designed to identify potential fathers. Registration is voluntary, and state officials say it will help speed up the adoption process.

"Men who have been sexually active with someone who they are not married can voluntarily register. If they do, they will be notified if the potential child is being put up for adoption or if the mother is looking to terminate the father's parental rights."

Registration doesn't establish or prove paternity, but a father who fails to register within 10 days of a child's birth will lose his parental rights. Read more at WDBJ7.com.

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Labels: fathers, parental_rights, adoption_process

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

In Kentucky, the Safe Infant Act has resulted in the adoption of nine babies over the last several years that may have otherwise been abandoned by their birth mothers. The Safe Infant Act allows parents to safely surrender babies who are up to 72 hours old. They can be taken to any hospital, EMS personnel, firefighter or police officer.

"The primary goal of the law is to keep babies from being abandoned with no one even knowing about it... Women who have hidden a pregnancy may be frightened, but they can ensure their baby will be safe and they can protect themselves with this law."

A parent who willingly surrenders a baby is given medical disclosure forms that will help determine the future needs of the child. After 30 days, parental rights are terminated, and the babies can then be adopted.

Read more at EMaxHealth.com.

Labels: abandonment, parental_rights, unwanted_pregancy

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

The story of the young Russian boy whose American adoptive mother sent him back to his birth country has sparked seemingly countless stories about adoption, and U.S.-Russia relations. But there’s another story emerging: one of adoption agencies glossing over the medical and mental conditions of children they’re trying to place.

“In the first videos her future parents saw, Abby looked like a sweet timid child. The couple expected some challenges but didn’t realize how much Abby suffered from attachment disorder. After the adoption was completed, the orphanage gave the couple more videos showing a very different child – much angrier, almost menacing.” [Source: BBC]

In other instances, full medical recorders aren’t released to adoptive parents until the day the adoption in finalized. U.S. and Russian officials are working together to create a more open adoption process, and to make support systems more readily available to parents who are having trouble. Though Abby’s parents were surprised by what they saw in the second group of videos, they say Abby has adjusted well to her new life in the U.S.

 

Labels: international, Russia, parental_rights

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Working Mothers magazine has released its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. The list includes several large corporations and some small businesses. The amount of paid leave given to adoptive parents was included in the selection criteria.

“Pfizer, which has about 5,000 Connecticut employees, allows pregnant women to work the last three weeks before their due dates at home, and offers 15 weeks of paid maternity leave. Fathers and adoptive parents can take six paid weeks of leave…Lego…offers 13 paid weeks for one parent, two weeks for the other. Adoptions are eligible for a subsidy of $5,000.” [Source: Hartford (CT) Courant]

MetLife, Yale New Haven Hospital, and General Electric were included in the list as well.


 

Labels: awareness, parental_rights, workplace

Posted By: Adoption Issues 1 Comment