Experts acknowledge that a major barrier to reaching this target is the birth parent, who must relinquish parental rights before an adoption can take place. When the birth parent refuses, the only alternative is often an expensive, frequently unpleasant court battle that can take three years or more. Even when drug or alcohol problems make them unfit parents, emotional bonds with their children can make birth parents unwilling to let go. Already being tested by several states is a concept that may increase these children's chances for permanent homes. While giving up parental rights, the birth parents may keep up contact with their children by exchanging letters or phone calls and even visiting the child.
Traditional adoptions deny all such contact.
Cooperative adoption programs are already showing promising results in Oregon and Washington. Each year, almost 450,000 children live in foster care because of abuse, neglect or other problems in the home, according to the Clinton administration's recent Adoption 2002 report. Most of these children will be reunited with their families, but 100,000 will not. Of that number, only 27,000 will be adopted or placed in guardianships. In Oregon, which has helped pioneer the process, there have been approximately 400 cooperative adoptions since 1992.