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Was paying states to push forward with timely and appropriate placements for children in foster care the best we could do? The Adoption 2002 Initiative in review.

Continue reading Adoption 2002: One Size Doesn't Fit All

This writer clearly doesn't understand the ramifications of "other options" for the lives of children in care. To suggest that they be treated equally with adoption is to suggest a horribly cruel situation, one in which our family finds itself now.

The state of Virginia is one of only five renegade states that doesn't list adoption as the second permanency goal (after return home). Forty-five states, three territories and the DC all comply with federal laws by bringing adoption in as the next goal after return to a parent.

This situation is a nightmare for children as local DSS agencies seek to kick kids out of the federally established and funded foster-to-adopt programs and dump children and their non-TPR'd parents on helpless relatives who've been "guilted" into taking on financial and legal burdens they can't begin to be equipped to handle even if they are "well to do."

The local agency we are working with insists that, because we are related to our foster child, they will not pursue termination of the parents' rights to free the child for adoption. Although I am licensed, they deliberately refuse to recognize her placement as in a foster home. They insist we just accept simple legal custody, shut up and go away or send her back into the system--to be adopted by strangers!!!

If we took legal custody, it would leave our "daughter" with no real permanency, no family she can legally call her own, no legal protection from the continued legal actions of her parents seeking return of custody, visitation etc., and us no resources financial or legal to protect her with. She would become ineligible for continued medical and mental health coverage, ineligible for her federally funded subsidy, etc., and we would be ineligible for family services to help our other children make the transition. This child is "special needs"--a 6 y.o. FAS case with an almost 20% chance of developing severe mental illness given her genetics. They don't care. They simply want to dump her out of the system with nothing.

Virginia has no kinship care program, no guardianship status let alone subsidized guardianship, not even formal permanent legal custody. Yes, all of this is in direct violation of federal policy and code BUT THE STATE OF VIRGINIA DOESN'T CARE AND CAN'T BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE LEGALLY.

Other options are NOT equal to adoption in desirability in any way, especially for children under the age of 12. To suggest other options should be treated equally is absurd and would codify deliberate cruelty. This is a life-and-death battle, literally, for the lives of kids who are at enormous risk. At the least, they need a real family, real permanency and commitment and guaranteed medical and mental health coverage. Except perhaps for the older teen, "other types of placements" that fall short of adoption and deny children the services and benefits they need are second-rate loopholes used by states to save money and should be treated as such under the law.