Post-adoption responsibilities

[alfish]

What is the name of your state? NY
Fortunately I am a happy grandfather, but want to understand what can and is occuring. My daughter adopted two non-US children through an agency. The children, as far as I understand, are adopted - they have US passports, and their new names. BUT, the agency she used is sending social workers to her home to ensure the children are being taken care of. I have NO problem with this monitoring BUT, I have been told the social worker requires $300/child for the workup. My questions are: (1) Is charging $300/child legitimate? This seems like a scam. Why isn't any of the work for the first child transferrable to the 2nd? (Both children are babies and the same age.) (2) How long does this go on? Aren't the children now adopted my daughters? My daughter has told me this goes on forever. Is this correct? Or again, is this just a means of continuing to exact money from the adopting parents? (3) I do not want to disrupt the new family. If all is well so be it. Do we need the services of an attorney? If we do require an attorney, what kind of attorney? What expertise must the attorney have?

[Silverplum]

Originally Posted by alfish

What is the name of your state? NY

After adoption, you should feed 'em, clothe 'em, let them play in your yard.

[moburkes]

Originally Posted by Silverplum

After adoption, you should feed 'em, clothe 'em, let them play in your yard.

Nope, no playing. I think you're only responsible for the food and the clothes. Oh, and shelter. So, let them play in the house!

[Silverplum]

Originally Posted by moburkes

Nope, no playing. I think you're only responsible for the food and the clothes. Oh, and shelter. So, let them play in the house!

Dangit, I always confuse "playing in the yard" with "shelter." Good thing you're here to keep me straight!

[nextwife]

Poster, some international adoption programs REQUIRE post placement follow-up. This is part of the agreement the adopting parent enters into with their agency, usually of behalf of the nation from which the adoption occurs. That country wants to be able to prove to their countrymen, if need be, that these kids are well and safe. Believe it or not, in many nations, myths abound about their orphans being used for organ donation or other devious reasons. The post placemnt studies help to show that these kids are still ok, doing great and that the nation should continue to allow uinternational adoption. Hewr failure to comply could negatively impact future famiules trying to adopt from there.

Or it could be an agency requirement. Regardless, this was certainly disclosed in her adoption fees packet.

Did she not know of the post placement study was $850, BTW.

[momofrose]

Even for domestic adoptions - follow up visits by the Case Worker are a must - it is usually done before finalization. We had 2 visits for our baby and it costs $850.00 for that - so consider yourself lucky that it is 2 children for the same amount.
To answer your questions specifically - yes it is completely on the up and up.

Congrats on your grandkids

D

[mb94]

This sounds fairly normal for all the reasons already mentioned. There are also some interesting challenges that come with international and older child adoptions that some parents are not fully prepared for. A check in with the social worker can help the parent naviagte things like attachment issues and bonding. Even dealing with things like the child having the wrong birthdate and age (for example: my nephew's records had him listed as 8 years old but he was very small for his age and very delayed in school. At the advice of someone at their agency my sister had a bone scan done on him which showed that he was likely 5 years old, which would put him right on target for his age).

All the stuff involving the post adoption follow up should be detailed in her agreement with the agency. If the agency had nothing in the contract about it then you might want to see someone with experience in contract law. If there is anything wrong here it is a breech in contract, but without seeing the contract we have no way of knowing.

[nextwife]

Certainly the adoption of any institutionalized (orphanage) child, or child from foster care, SHOULD require parental support. Mom should be on some web support lists, and be monitoring her children for SID, hypervigilance, attachment disorders and developmental delays. She should definately access such programs as birth to three, early intervention and so on, if need be. Early therapies and interventions truly pay off. She should NOT wait to have them catch up on their own- they need more help.