Source: https://www.attorney-sacramento.com/areas-of-practice/family-law/child-adoption-2/
Timestamp: 2019-07-20 17:00:46
Document Index: 261582481

Matched Legal Cases: ['§366', '§ 8700', '§ 8704', '§ 8700', '§ 8700', '§ 8700']

Home » Areas of Practice » Family Law » Child Adoption – Sacramento Attorney – Free Lawyer Consultation
Posted on March 29, 2018 June 12, 2019 by edmisleh
I want to adopt. How do I adopt a child?
There are two ways in which a child adoption may occur. The first way for child adoption is by relinquishment whereby the birth parent relinquishes the child for adoption to the State of California Department of Social Services, a county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency. The second way is by designation whereby a parent specifies the adopted parents using one of those agencies for adoption.
Child Adoption by Relinquishment
I have a child. Can I give up my child?
Either birth parent may relinquish a child for child adoption to the State Department of Social Services or a licensed adoption agency. The relinquishment has no effect until a certified copy is sent to, and filed with, the State Department of Social Services. Generally, the relinquishment and child adoption is final after a ten-day waiting period, and the relinquishment and child adoption may then be rescinded only by the mutual consent of the department or agency to which the child was relinquished and the parent(s) relinquishing the child.
A parent may voluntarily relinquish for child adoption his or her child to the State Department of Social Services or a licensed county adoption agency “at any time while the child is a dependent child of the juvenile court, if the department or agency is willing to accept the relinquishment.”
The juvenile court may not limit the ability of a parent to voluntarily relinquish for child adoption to the state department of social services or to a licensed county adoption agency at any time while the child is a dependent child of the juvenile court, if that state or county agency is willing to accept the relinquishment for child adoption. In re R.S. (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 1137, 1140, 1151-1155. However, the relinquishment for child adoption must be completed and accepted by the State Department of Social Services before the commencement of the WIC §366.26 hearing at which the juvenile court determines the permanent plan. Moreover the juvenile court retains authority to disapprove an agency placement decision for child adoption, even post termination of parental rights, if the agency’s placement decision is determined to be “patently absurd or unquestionably not in the minor’s best interests.” In re B.C. (2011) 192 Cal.App.4th 129, 145, 149.
When a birth parent relinquishes a child for child adoption who is the subject of a petition for dependency jurisdiction, the agency accepting the relinquishment for child adoption must give written notice of the relinquishment within five court days to the juvenile court hearing the child’s case, the child’s attorney, if any, and the attorney for the relinquishing parent.
When a dependency petition has been filed, the social worker is required to tell the court at disposition whether the parent was advised of the option to voluntarily relinquish the child for child adoption, if an adoption agency is willing to accept the relinquishment. Family Code § 8700(i)
Any placement for temporary care, or for child adoption, made by the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency may be terminated in its discretion at any time before the granting of an order of adoption. Family Code § 8704(a)
The relinquishing parent may name in the relinquishment the person or person with whom the parent intends the child be placed for child adoption. Family Code § 8700(f)
If the child is not placed in the home of the named person or the child is removed from that home prior to the granting of the child adoption, the relinquishing parent shall be given notice of that decision within 72 hours of the decision not to place the child for child adoption or the decision to remove the child from the home. The relinquishing parent has 30 days from the date on which the notice described in subdivision (g) was mailed to rescind the relinquishment. Family Code § 8700(g)(h)
Child Adoption by Designation
All of the adoption program regulations that apply to a standard relinquishment apply as well to a designated relinquishment for child adoption. The counseling and advisement services that must be provided prior to an agency accepting a relinquishment and the protocols that must be followed when a parent relinquishes a child to a state or county adoption agency can be found in the California Department of Social Services, Manual of Practices and Procedures, Adoption Users Manual.
The relinquishing parent may name in the relinquishment the person or person with whom the parent intends the child be placed for adoption. Family Code § 8700(f)