New Children's Act - All Adopters Please Read!!

I agree JMK! You always are so much more eloquent than I.

It was scary reading and I do not understand the governments intention with this?

It reads like yes BM did X,Y,Z but she can still apply via court to gain direct contact if she wants too.

Ahem, I am not AD's long term carer I am her parent and really contact should be like you said up to the Adoptee?

I agree jmk.

I have often wondered if the "one size fits all" approach to contact only contributes to attachment problems.

One CPR we looked at described an 18 month old girl who flinched and cried when her BM came in the room during direct contact, and yet the contact arrangements proposed after adoption was to continue direct contact!

This proposal clearly seems to about the BF with no thought to why children are removed.

Obviously in some cases it's beneficial to children to retain contact, but not in all cases.

Our own SW admitted to us that 50 years ago the theory was no contact whatsoever, now it's always recommended some form of contact, and in another 50 years they will have a different theory again.

Who the hell comes up with this carp they clearly do not live in the same world as the rest of us.

God help all of us and save us from the law with nonsense ideas x

The world has gone totally mad. I really would like to know what this means in reality.

Why don't they speak to some of the people it will affect before making theirs mad laws

Gosh I hope so x

What a load of bologny and it was obviously written by some eejit who simply doesn't understand plant adoption.

It concerns me as Pinks BM requested direct contact, but then hasn't contested her adoption. So does that mean she will possibly apply for direct contact and probably get the funding under the "human rights act". We will be on egg shells and our lovely happy settled daughter will be screwed up by this woman who has had heaps of money spent on her rehab, addiction support and has three other children in care.

Thanks government, we are all doing our best for our kids who have been through hell.

Why don't you just stick up two fingers to us as well???

F*** ing ridiculous!!

What I don't understand is that Narey & co, Govt etc have pushed timescales to:-
a) get kids through the legal system quicker from 9 mths to 6mths;
b) prospective adopters through in 6 months (which for me, was bang on),
c) adverts all over the show to attract prospectives;
d) pressure to get kids placed
~ when things like this are just going to put people off even coming forward. A lot depends on the BPs of course: for those of you who watched C4's 15,000 kids and counting tonight, can you imagine the disruptive effect on direct contact with a father like Emily's partner (Matthew): both for the child and adoptive parents picking up the pieces. I think in some situations, direct contact can work and be in the child(ren)'s best interests, which has to be the priority but only in situations where it is positive and the BPs are supportive of adoption. I don't think those situations are that common. I don't know what to think: I'll be very interested to see what the response is tomorrow: is it giving false hope to BPs who don't stand a chance of being successful? causing stress and upset to adoptive parents and the children if they're old enough to be spoken to (as no doubt there'd be assessments, Guardian seeing child etc). It's very worrying especially if the placing LA and have already concluded no direct contact.

What?! I would have thought it would have known about this.

Still not great that birth family can apply for contact post adoption but at least it isn't a new right. Sounds like a step in the right direction that adopters can apply for an order banning contact with Bps and that adoptess have one less hoop to jump through. 

Thanks Donatella, sounds better anyway

I quite liked the prohibition of contact clause: I just think more media attention to these sections of the new Act risks applications for permission to apply at the very least causing distress to all concerned. Thanks Donatella for posting the twitter link.
x

I emailed our adoption agency with the following question......


Dear x
The Families and Childrens bill due to be passed on April 22 has some disturbing legislation.
Once this bill is passed it gives Birth Parents the right to apply to the courts for contact with their children, post adoption order. This will mean all the birth parents of all children currently adopted will have the right to apply to the courts for direct contact.

Adoptive parents would have to go to court to contest an application from the birth parents, this could happen again and again as Birth parents will have the right to re-apply.

This is very concerning.
We are re interested to know what your view is on this legislation and what support it could offer adoptive parents should they find themselves faced with legal costs and emotional upheaval if an application is made by birth parents to gain direct contact. Regards, Lapwing.
The reply....

Dear Lapwing
We have looked up the new legislation - it is now the Children and Families Act 2014, having already received Royal Assent. The relevant section is below. You will see that a birth parent would have to seek leave of the court to make a contact application (4c). As I understand it that is not a change from the current position where birth parents will sometimes seek to make a post order application for contact but have to seek the leave of the court to make an application first. Occasionally leave is granted and a substantive application is made - we had a case last year in xxxxx. A Children's Guardian is then appointed and the adoptive parents become parties to the proceedings, and at that point they may seek to be legally represented. We would make a strong case to the placing L/A for them to cover the adopters legal costs and we would of course provide adoption support to the family, should they want this. However, these cases have been rare with many of them failing to get past the initial leave stage
Just to be certain I haven't missed anything I'll seek advice from BAAF and come back to you when I have received this.

ok... we will wait to hear....