AboutRachel Expertise I can answer questions about fostering - What's it like to be a foster carer? Who to go to for help? Experiences with troubled children. Attachment problems. Leaving care. Long term fostering. Dealing with birth families. Working with schools, statements, EBD schools.
Experience My husband and I have been foster carers for over five years and we are currently long term carers for two boys. We have had one boy from the age of 9 to 14 years who is with us long term. We have done short term respite care, one year seeing a sixteen year old girl through to leaving care and long term care of another boy from age 10-11
Expert: Rachel Date: 12/4/2007 Subject: trying to adopt my nephew from from foster care
Question My nephew is in foster care. He was just recently moved (8weeks ago)into a home in which my mother the childs half sibling and the half siblings mother reside. My brother and his girlfriends rights are going to be terminated. DHS told us to have a family meeting to decided what the best placement for the child would be. Our home was chosen, because of stability and the fact that he is my nephew and I love him. However, DHS has been talking to the mother of the half sibling and told her not to worry that she will be able to adopt him and that no other family will be considered. This was done behind everyones back with no family involved what so ever. I told the case worker that we want him to stay in the family, the case worker keeps saying over and over that he will be in the family because the siblings mother is family and is the current foster parent in the household. If she is to adopt him he is no longer related to any of us, how is that keeping him in the family? Also, the only way that she was able to become a foster parent is because Dhs figured my mothers income with hers because she did not make enough to cover her own expenses. My mother has moved out in the last few days, so shouldn't that be considered?
I guess my question is, how can DHS do this to the child and to all the paternal and maternal family? What are the procedures when the parents rights are terminated and the child is placed for adoption? Do the courts decide or is it set in stone by DHS.
Melissa
Answer Melissa
This sounds like a very messy situation. Ultimately a court would decide whether a parents rights are terminated and also whether a child can be placed under adoption. However they would act upon the recommendation of the social services department.
I would recommend that you make a formal complaint to the Social Services department in order to get your concerns formally recognised. All government departments should have a formal complaints procedure, which would force them to consider your views.
