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Hello everyone! My husband I were blessed with our baby girl through adoption. Her Birth mother is a family member by marriage. We had cared for our daughter off and on since she was 3 weeks old, even caring for her for a month straight starting at 2 months old. When our daughter was 4 months old, CPS got involved in her case due to neglect and child endangerment. She was placed with her grandparents under kinship care at 5 months old, two weeks later her Birth Mother asked us to adopt her! We received none-relative temporary custody pending adoption in April and I think the CPS case was closed, but Birth mother was still ordered to be on Birth Control, take parenting classes etc. But she never did any thing. She is currently still using drugs, and is now homeless bouncing around friends houses with her Boyfriend.. and is now about 3 months pregnant again and says she is keeping this baby. I'm obviously worried about this babys safety.. It was only 5 months ago that our daughter was taken from her custody and birth mother is worse off now than when she had our daughter... Will CPS take this new baby? or will he/she have to be neglected and abandoned for 4 months like our daughter was? Although we are not really ready for baby #2 yet (simply because we are enjoying baby #1), we did offer to adopt this child too or hold temporary custody while the mother tries to "get it together" but she declined stating she is going to "do right" this time. while we really hope that will happen, I don't see it happening. What could happen? :confused:Also - My husband and I should be certified Foster Parents for the State at the end of Sept. - I figured foster parents might have more of an understanding of this type of situation! Thank you in advance!!
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Hi! Is the case for your DD an open one? Or has her mother signed relinquishments? If her mother still has an open case, chances are they will remove. If it has closed, around here the child will only be removed with cause. My kids mother just had another baby & CPS didn't get involved. Thankfully, she is in a better situation, not worse though so although I'm worried, I'm hopeful she will be able to parent this time.
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Part of the answer, as to whether or not a new baby is removed at birth, has to do if CPS knows about the mom being pregnant/baby being born. If I were you, I would call CPS and tell them. You can call anonymously through the child abuse hotline for your state, if you are not comfortable giving your name. Also, if someone calls now, then bio mom may be able to get services and get herself together now. I see calling not as being out to "get her" but rather trying to help her in her plans "to do right". My two cents......
If the baby tests positive at birth then CPS will most likely take the baby and she will have a chance to work her plan. If the mom is clean then the baby will probably go home with her. If one kid is taken and adopted the parents still get a chance at parenting with the next kids. The goal is always RU at first. If you adopted through the state I would make sure they have your current telephone number. They will place with siblings for adoption if both parents are unable to care for the kids.
The Birth Mothers CPS case involving our daughter was closed when we received temporary custody pending adoption. I have thought about letting CPS know about this pregnancy, Just have not made up my mind on whats right at this very moment. Our Daughters adoption isnt "final" until 9/2012 but Birth mother has voluntarily signed away her rights (I think to avoid dealing with CPS mostly) and the birth fathers rights were terminated as he had no contact and denied he was the father etc... new baby has a different father.. Guess it will be one of those "wait and see" ordeals. I am leaning towards letting CPS know so that they have a heads up and so that if nothing changes.. maybe it wont take 4 months or longer this time around to get this child out of a bad situation. We will be Foster parents by the time the sibling is born though.. I think we will keep a bed open just in case. Thanks for the help :thanks:
Our STBAS bmom was in the midst of TPR on three kids, when she gave birth to the last child...they sent him home with her, because she was clean and living in a very supportive environment. She just relinquished on all three of the older kids because she knows her odds are best focused on this one child and her current plan. It can happen.
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Our DD's first parents had one child before her they gave up for adoption, our DD who ended up in foster care because they left her at the hospital and couldn't change drug habits, and had the 3rd child last year. They are raising the 3rd child. I worry about that child and hope for the best. Other family members say they are still doing drugs, so I assume this child will end up in foster care in a few years. I pray that they can get it together to really be parents to #3 and perhaps meet our DD, but realistically I understand that would be a miracle. At this point, I am assuming there will be a #4 coming soon and then both #3 and #4 will end up in foster care in a few years. I am sure it happens at some point, but to me, most of the parents who have lost multiple children will not be able to put subsequent children first.
Different states, different laws. According to Missouri, If a parents rights are forcibly terminated by the judge and children they have for the 3 years following the term date are subject to removal. We adopted our son after he was left in the hospital through Childrens Division. We were foster parents with Nicu experience and we went through a period of RU for 6 months and then he was ruled an abandoned infant at which time we were allowed to begin adoption proceedings. Bio mom is pregnant again with bio dad and her circumstances have not changed. She continues to use and has been incarcerated several times. The case worker was notified and they are aware but have told us that they don't actively watch over her but will be notified when the baby is born and if it tests positive they will then step in. However, I was told by a supervisor, if I kept tabs on her and called the hotline, they would get involved. We also have been notified/asked if we would adopt this full bio sibling knowing that it will likely have developmental delays and drug related issues.. The only upside is that because of the previous TPR, we wont have to wait to begin adoption proceedings.. MY advise is to call whomever to get help and attention for this new baby.