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Hi,
I am new to this board and am hoping someone here can help lead me to a resource that can educate me on Post Open Adoption Laws. I am the birthmother and my daughter is 16 and she has asked to contact me directly. I was told by my case worker at social services that:
'The law states that adoptees have to be 18 before you both have to voluntarily subject a consent form. By law we cannot give out any information to either of you until <name> is 18.'
I am anxious to resolve this and don't really know where to start.
Thanks in advance,
S. John
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Can you give a few more details about your situation? Is this already an open adoption, you are already in contact, but now your daughter wants "direct" contact? I never knew that any sort of contact was against the law... this is all news to me! It's always seemed to me that where adoption is concerned, the law just pretty much stays out of it. Who do you think would press charges if your daughter did contact you directly... the adoptive parents? Please post again and give specifics, because now I'm concerned too... I don't want to break a law that I don't even know about! Best of luck to you, Sincerely ~ Sharon
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Hi Sharon,
Well, I wish I had more information than that but I don't know any more about that law than what the social worker said. I think I will consult an attorney who specializes in post adoption law and post what I find out here for others in the same situation. This would fall under California law and I'm pretty sure laws are decided State to State.
The agreement between myself and the adoptive family is that we exchange letters and pictures once a year. We have done so without fail from the beginning and now my daughter wants to meet me. The letters and pictures are routed via the agency before either family receives them so they can be edited for such things as mention of location, and personal contact details. (Can I just say that the adoptive family is totally supportive of her wish to meet me and have been so since she was born.)
I will let you know as soon as I find out what the details are.
Take care,
S. John