What is the name of your state? North Dakota
Wow where to begin. I'll start with a bit of background just so you know where we are at.
My wife and I have been providing care of my Niece since she was 1 year old and was apprehended by child and family services. They placed her with us while my sister was to work on her issues, (drug abuse and domestic violence). This was in July of 2002. In 2003 the agency was going to be seeking a permanet order of gaurdianship as the bio parents had failed to address their issues. We stepped in and applied and were awarded legal gaurdianship in October 2003. My niece has resided with us since and is now 5 years old. She has begun calling us mom and dad and my kids are considered her siblings.
She is aware that she has two moms and two dads as we have always supported her having a relationship with her bio parents. As she has settled with us we decided we wished to adopt. Since making this decision my sister has entered and completed a treatment program and has had another child who she is currently parenting. Child and family services breifly became reinvolved with her due to domestic violence issues in her home.
Right now she is taking us to court and is wanting more access and an eventual return of her daughter. We are oppossed to this as we still wish to adopt and feel that my niece has stabalized when she is and there is such a strong bond between her and our kids and us that moving would be detrimental to all involved.
At this point my sister has access on Saturdays and on tuesdays while dad has access on sundays. We were against giving my sister two visits a week as we feel it is quite confusing for my niece and hard for her to know where she fits in if she is constanly suffled around. We are willing to continue the saturday visit but do not want to continue with the tuesday let alone increase the visits.
In the future should my sister stabalize we would be willing to have more open access including overnights if my niece so desired how ever at this age we feel it would not assist in stabalizing her. In addition our plans are polar opposites we wish to adopt to give her a new beginning and my sister wishes for her return. the bio dad is supportive of her remaining with us however he also wants increased access. When would she have time to be at home?
All we want to do is what is best for the kids but these court battles make it difficult to remain focused. My question is this do you feel we are looking at her best interests? And how do we convince the judge that more access is premature and unsettling for the child?
Nelson
Wow where to begin. I'll start with a bit of background just so you know where we are at.
My wife and I have been providing care of my Niece since she was 1 year old and was apprehended by child and family services. They placed her with us while my sister was to work on her issues, (drug abuse and domestic violence). This was in July of 2002. In 2003 the agency was going to be seeking a permanet order of gaurdianship as the bio parents had failed to address their issues. We stepped in and applied and were awarded legal gaurdianship in October 2003. My niece has resided with us since and is now 5 years old. She has begun calling us mom and dad and my kids are considered her siblings.
She is aware that she has two moms and two dads as we have always supported her having a relationship with her bio parents. As she has settled with us we decided we wished to adopt. Since making this decision my sister has entered and completed a treatment program and has had another child who she is currently parenting. Child and family services breifly became reinvolved with her due to domestic violence issues in her home.
Right now she is taking us to court and is wanting more access and an eventual return of her daughter. We are oppossed to this as we still wish to adopt and feel that my niece has stabalized when she is and there is such a strong bond between her and our kids and us that moving would be detrimental to all involved.
At this point my sister has access on Saturdays and on tuesdays while dad has access on sundays. We were against giving my sister two visits a week as we feel it is quite confusing for my niece and hard for her to know where she fits in if she is constanly suffled around. We are willing to continue the saturday visit but do not want to continue with the tuesday let alone increase the visits.
In the future should my sister stabalize we would be willing to have more open access including overnights if my niece so desired how ever at this age we feel it would not assist in stabalizing her. In addition our plans are polar opposites we wish to adopt to give her a new beginning and my sister wishes for her return. the bio dad is supportive of her remaining with us however he also wants increased access. When would she have time to be at home?
All we want to do is what is best for the kids but these court battles make it difficult to remain focused. My question is this do you feel we are looking at her best interests? And how do we convince the judge that more access is premature and unsettling for the child?
Nelson
