[s_clark08]

my cousin has a child in foster care, she realizes she cannot care for him and wants to put him up for adoption, we dont know who the father is but there are some people currently being tested. she has decided she wants me to adopt the baby, but his caseworker is telling us that she cannot choose who he will go to. i have been in his life since she was pregnant, and have been attending the weekly visits with his mother. i have done some searching and i found last night an article stating that children and youth do not have to approve for a family member to adopt a child. does anyone have any advice or information on how to go about this? they have been trying to get her to sign off her parental rights since he was 4 weeks old when they took him from her, because the foster parents want to adopt. isn't it the states job to keep families together and not tear them apart? if there is a family member perfectly capable of caring for a child, and willing to adopt, don't they get first choice? i just need some advice, maybe someone knows a professional that i could call and talk to about this? the caseworker has not been working with me in this matter, she has been going behind my back, even though my cousin has signed the release forms stating that anything pertaining to the case could be relayed to me. i just don't know who to contact and what the pa laws are on this sort of thing. i would really appreciate any help advice or information. thank you