[MassachusettsMom]

We're pre-adoptive foster parents of a 15-month-old and are scheduled to go to TPR trial in 3 weeks (after multiple postponements). Our foster son has a new court appointed atty that we just met yesterday. The previous atty was fully supportive and planning to advocate for adoption at the trial. (She was removed b/c she was also representing our FS's older 1/2 sister who wants to be reunified.)

The new atty came to our house, knew nothing about the case, wanted to hear nothing about our FS and announced that he didn't trust DSS, doesn't believe that children this young should be TPRed and isn't planning to advocate for adoption. He then advised that we should watch the movie "August Rain" that is apparently about a 10-year-old who refuses to be adopted and is eventually reunited with his BPs.

We've already been told that the TPR case is weak, but the DSS atty is planning to go to trial anyway (or may end up postponing.) I feel like this may be the final nail in the coffin of our hopes of adopting this child. But that issue aside, I'm still horrified that this atty is going to be representing our FS for as long as he's involved in the system.

I'm planning to speak with the DSS atty and our FS adoption worker about the meeting with the court appointed atty. I don't want to come across as a psycho foster mom, so wanted to reality-check with you guys... does the atty seem a bit out of line? Has anyone ever advocated and gotten a new atty for their foster child? Who does one even speak to that about? (The adoption worker said she has no control over it.)