Adoption Laws; Just plain Wrong (The Rule of Six)

WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN?

Obviously law makers in this country of no idea. In a country where we are told by our leaders that all life is precious and should never be aborted; how exactly do we have adoption laws that are so anti-adoption and so impossible to deal with that individuals find it necessary to go overseas to adopt?

Forget the fact that a birth parent can claim custody and win the right to take their child back even after 3-4-5 years after an adopted child has bonded with an adopting family. Now we have the ‘Rule of six’ law preventing a Massachusetts couple from adopting two sisters, 6 and 10, who are presently living in separate foster homes.

Then the state Department of Social Services issued the bad news: The adoption was off, due to a state law that limits the size of a foster family to six children. If they adopted both sisters, the Worthens would have seven.

The couple knew about what DSS calls the ”rule of six,” but believed they could easily get a waiver. But DSS officials concluded they could grant waivers only to parents seeking temporary custody. The Worthens did not qualify, because they wanted to take in the girls as foster children but planned to adopt them right away.

This is the sheer stupidity that our adoption laws would deny parents who wish to open their home to others. Loving parents who wish to adopt sisters who are presently living in separate homes and wish to provide a home for both under one roof is prevented.

WHAT PART ABOUT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN DOES DSS NOT GET?

Instead of a waiver to do the right thing, welcome to DSS red tape & bureaucracy.

Maureen Flatley, a lobbyist and adoption advocate who has been working pro bono on the case, said the law already provides exceptions for siblings and children with medical issues.

”It’s red tape run amok,” Flatley said. ”I’ve been in this work for a long, long time, and this is the craziest thing that I’ve ever seen.”

It is an absolute shame that laws exist in this country that prevent the adoption of children and do not protect the welfare of the children or the adopting individuals. We are supposed to want children in foster care rather than be adopted? How about we do the right thing for the children once and for all.

Adoption is a beautiful and loving act; why anyone would make this a difficult and nearly impossible venture is astounding and unacceptable.