About Chandricka R. Mose, LCSW-C, LICSW, ACSW Expertise I can answer questions about the homestudy process, training, foster parent adoptions, traditional, treatment and kinship foster care to adoption matters, and adoption and infertility issues. I am also well versed in general legal matters that come up in adoption.
Experience I have 15 years of foster care and adoption experience as a clinical social worker. I have held many position in this arena including social worker, foster care and adoption trainer and homestudy coordinator, program supervisor and program director.
I also have experiences with adoption in my personal life, as I have two adopted siblings and many foster siblings that I have kept in touch with over the years. I am passionate about this topic.
Organizations National Association of Social Workers,
Kayla's Village - Advisory Committee member - a local organization that supports foster parents, adoptive parents and child welfare professionals through training, support groups and social events.
Publications None, but I presented at a National Treatment Foster Care Conference in 2002.
Education/Credentials I hold a Bachelor of Social Work from Howard University and a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University.
Awards and Honors Employee of the Year 2001 -Pressley Ridge
Past/Present Clients I have a small private practice and consulting business.
Expert: Chandricka R. Mose, LCSW-C, LICSW, ACSW Date: 3/20/2008 Subject: Adoption through a co-guardian
Question I have a relative whose parental rights are being terminated soon. The grandparents have had temporary custody until recently when the courts granted co-guardianship with the state. The state DHS is now perusing terminating the parental rights, as the parents have shown no progress towards regaining custody of the children.
My questions are:
1) I know that my state (Iowa) allows for the parent, legal guardian, or DHS to sign the adoption papers. However, since the grandparents are co-guardians, can they still sign the papers, or will DHS also have to authorize it (assuming that all other paperwork is in order, in regards to the requisite adoption classes/etc)? And if DHS must also authorize the adoption as a co-guardian, can the grandparents also deny an applicant? The grandparents would dearly like the kids to stay in the family, and it would be comforting to know if they have any standing to influence this.
2) Should anyone looking to adopt the children start contacting a lawyer now, even though the termination of rights hearing has not been complete, and the adoption classes have not been complete? Should the adopting family be prepared to petition the courts for adoption immediately after the rights are terminated, or is there a process that has to be followed before a petition can be filed?
Thanks
Answer Dear Jason,
Unfortunately, I am not sure about co-guardianship laws as those terms do not exist in the states where I've practiced. I would, however, venture to guess that the grandparents would have a say in any adoption matter, but would have to have very convincing reasons as to why they would oppose a potential adoptive family.
To answer your second question, I would say it is never too soon to contact a lawyer and the attorney for the children in the case to inform them of any interested potential adoptive parents. They would be very interested in knowing that their is a potential for providing the child(ren) with permanency as soon as possible.
