Custody vs. Adoption

Where we are custodian and guardianship determine everything on your list of negatives. We solely make all medical decisions, we changed names, we apply for passports, we make religious decisions and educational decisions and visitations is at "our discretion and sole supervision". There is a legal difference here between "joint" custody and sole custody and guardianship (I would NEVER settle for joint where parents retain decision making powers) and a temporary order or a permanent order. Transfer of permanent custody and guardianship is being used more because legally, there are too many children in our area that will never be released for adoption.