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Hey there. I'm wondering if it's possible for us to request a mediation to just talk about some things with the bio parents.
Here's the lowdown:
kid #1 they were MIA
kid #2 they tried to clean up but eventually we had a mediation and they relinquished
kid #3 they just don't have it together quite enough and she came to us. At first it seemed she'd go back for sure, now it seems she'll most likely stay put
Kid #3 is actually kid #8 for mom. None have been raised by her. Dh and I have discussed what we'll do if there is another baby, it's hard for us to imagine saying no to a sibling of our kids...we don't know how we'll know when to say enough (we also have 2 bios)
We have a nice enough relationship with the bio parents, I see them every week when I drive to visits. I'm glad the kids have gotten to meet their parents (the other 5 have not) But we keep everything very...light, you know, talk about the kids and how great they are, never anything serious.
We feel like the only way we could discuss these serious things (like the possibility of them having another baby they're not ready to raise, etc) is to do so with a mediator.
So is it possible for us, the foster parents, to request a mediation?
I always say it never hurts to ask. The most anyone can do is say no and they may surprise you and say yes. Talk with the cw.
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Yeah, I definitely will, just wondering if this is something anyone else has done or heard of being done before.
With our son, I begged for mediation. Bmom's attorney refused to allow it, insisting that they were going to trial and she was going to win so why bother negotiating with us. A ridiculous position.
Now, mediation is very hard to get because the funding has been so badly cut.
But definitely ask. and ask several people. Ask the CW - and his/her supervisor. Ask the child's attorney or casa or gal (however they do it in your area).
As an attorney I have taken a few cases to mediation. In two it really helped. In the others - it didn't accomplish much but it didn't hurt anything either.
Give it a try. Can't hurt, might help.
Good luck.