[mamarap]

This is a LONG story but I will try to make it less...(LOL)
a friend of mine has been warded her niece. (Her brother and his girlfriend's child.) Neither the brother or the girlfriend have made any kind of try to see the child. My friend and her husband want to adopt the child. The Cyna is up. The situation I was in is very different, my husband adopted his step sons. So very different situation.
She has a question....
About how much will it cost to adopt the child ? (the child is 17 months)
Her brother has been saying he will give up his rights then few hours later he doesn't want to. He is very unstable and the child is getting the best care. The mother has already lost 2 of her other children into the foster care system. The sister and her husband have 2 girls already. She does day care and he works as a jailer (parttime). I have known them for a long time. Myself I would trust them with my children anytime. Any help on cost or if there is place in Iowa they can go to get some help with cost ??
THANK YOU !!!

[mayamoo]

Is this child a foster child? I think they should call dhs and ask for their advice. Sorry - I don't know a whole lot about the cost.

[DiamondzR]

If the child is not a ward of the state then it will be a private adoption.
I strongly suggest that you make a complaint of abandonment on the parents to get DHS involved and then ask for a relative placement.... u guys ... until they terminate parental rights.... then ... the cost is 0 nothing unless you want an attorney.... they will give the parents about 2 years to get it together and become proper parents UNLESS they voluntarily terminate their rights. Hope this helps

[mamarap]

The child was award to them first part of Dec. 2003. I am not sure if the child is ward of the state or the child is a foster child. DHS does do visits and they must do yearly reports to the courthouse.
It is a mess. The child is placed with the bilogical Aunt. (Sister to the biological father) So the child is placed with a relative. They heard from the biological father this week-end. He is willing to let them adopt the child. (Which we all know is best for the child-he is very unstable) As for the bilogical mother; she did not even come to the courthouse when the bilogical aunt and her husband were award custody of the child. She lost her other child to the state. This week-end when they heard from the biological father he never asked once about the child. They asked if they could adopt the child. His comment, "Yea sure whatever. Would you give me (so-so's) email address ?"
I know they have a court date Tuesday (1-25) and tend to ask about adopting the child then also. They were just looking for ball park figures.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING !!!
The adoption that my husband did was very different situation then this. Mine was I am the biological mother and he was their step father. (Their biological father walked out when the youngest was 4 months old.) He has never had contact with them since..that was 15 years ago.
THANK YOU !!!