[Iverson2010]

Hello my name is Jamie

Me and my fiance are looking for some advice in our situation.

We have been together for 4 years and her niece is now 8 years old and she has been caring or her basically since day one. We have her in our custoday as Intern Guardianship. Her mother and brother and the child's mother all have some type of guardian over the child but the mother has the mental age of a 12 year which has been shown over many assessments in the past 8 years.

We want to get full adoption rights but only 2/3 family members would consent to it. Is there any possible way to bypass the third party member?

The child's mother has also had 5 other kids which where forcely adopted out with her not allowing to contact or try to house any of them.

The government will not allow her to care for any child.

We have all the needs for her. We have full time jobs a house/yard for her and we feed her proper foods unlike her mother does when she gets visits.

[caths1964]

Just a general question. Do you plan on changing any visitation rights etc if you adopt her or do you just want the same but legal?

Also what is the difference between an Intern Guardianship and a "normal" Guardianship? Is that because you share with other family members?

Just want to get a clearer picture (not that I can really help you myself).

[Iverson2010]

Originally Posted by caths1964

Just a general question. Do you plan on changing any visitation rights etc if you adopt her or do you just want the same but legal?

Also what is the difference between an Intern Guardianship and a "normal" Guardianship? Is that because you share with other family members?

Just want to get a clearer picture (not that I can really help you myself).

Well the mother has visition rights every other Saturday if she books it with the person who supervises it. She will go without booking a couple in a row or she books it and calls just before it is to happen with some excuse for not showing up. She is granted 2 hours for the visits but sometimes she is only there for 1.

We know she won't agree to it in anyway because she has been fighting for 8 years with my fiances family who has had the actual right to care for her in their home since the start.

We would want to say she still gets rights to the visits till the adoption is finalized if it does get approved.

My niece doesn't even want to see her because its a waste of time and she has no fun or any interests with her mother.

[wcurry66]

Can you elaborate on the "players"? You mention 3 people need to agree. Would that be the child's birthmom's parents plus BF?

I assume birthmom is considered incompetent based on the mental issue described.

Who is the hold out?

Would agreeing to an OA help sway them? An OA can be written with "out" clauses.

Kinship placement is fun sometimes

Come join us over in the relative care subforum.

[Iverson2010]

Yes the birth mother is incompetent and she is the hold out.

The grandmother and birth father are the other 2 and they would agree to whatever is needed to help us.

[wcurry66]

Has birthmom been deemed incompetent by a court? If so, custody can be removed by the state without her approval, I would think. Of course, its always better to get buy in of all involved.

If birthmom can be reasoned with, making a written promise of an open adoption, explaining how important she is,etc may help. Does her mom have any "pull"? can she help you make a case?

Best of luck