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Hi All,
I have 3 FDs through Kinship (I'm fictive kin) and know Bio Mom well. Long story short- GAL and CYF both plan to ask for goal Change to adoption/TPR at July hearing and we have switched to an Adoption CW so we MAY be headed toward adoption (a lot depends on our judge and what one of the bio dads does which is a LONG story not worth getting into ߘ).
.....Anyway in having a conversation with GAL she cautioned me about OA in PA, saying that its tricky here because the agreements are done before finalization and contain a lot of legal language and she really isn't comfortable with how it's done. She told me not to be pressured into doing it at all as it will not affect TPR.
Bio Mom is the type that NEEDS A LOT OF BOUNDARIES and is against adoption and wants SPLC instead, she likes control but is also in prison for AT LEAST the next 15 months.
So..... Anyone out there in PA with experience with OA/Act 101 in PA? Both POSITIVE and NEGATIVE welcome!
THANKS!
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Thanks for the reply. I do want to PM you but I want to wait until after court hearing on the 30th to see if we actually get a goal change to adoption/initial TPR date or whatever. I don't want to get ahead of myself. Bio-dad of the older 2 is doing just enough to make this interesting.
Is it my imagination or is PA difficult?
I'm glad you at least seem to be coming to the end. I hope your CW gets back to you, if not call the supervisor. I do have good CW. It's my judge ( a male) that makes emotional decisions in favor of bios at times going against CYF recommendations to do so.
I just feel like PA ignores ASFA a lot and makes OA more trouble than its worth and don't even get me started on SPLC in this state as compared to others!! Tuesday is our hearing so we will see. We have an Adoption CW now. Here when the PPM team decides to recommend a goal change to adoption/TPR the case is referred to adoption department and adoption CW makes the goal change recommendation in court at next hearing. We are at 16 mths, will we get goal change/TPR motion.... Stay tuned we shall see?????
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Not in PA, but i am a kinship provider who adopted with an OA in an enforceable state
I believe the OA was a blessing in this instance. The boundaries were clearly spelled out in legalese. it clearly defines what was allowed, what wasn't and what J's BM had to lose should she say, do, NOT do certain things.
Without the OA, it would have have been a constant barrage of boundary testing. With the OA, there was a couple months of testing to see if I'd adhere to the contract. After that, it was pretty simple
Unlike with stranger adoptions, it not like you leave the court and never have to deal with them again. They know where you live, how to reach you - if not directly, then through relatives
best of luck to you
I am from PA and we adopted last year. All we agreed to on the OA form was picture and update once a year. They would not understand visits and thought they would be able to come and pick him up anytime they wanted. He was the youngest of four kids and there was never a bond between him and them. We had him since he was 4 months old and it took 9 1/2 years for us to adopt him.Just make sure who ever fills paperwork out does it right. The person that did ours used the wrong form and judge wouldn't accept it. We had to redo it and that took awhile. His adoption was finalized Aug. 14 and we never got the adoption decree until Oct. This was very frustrating because we were in limbo until then. We couldn't even do his dr appt or speech because we couldn't change insurance until we had decree.