Vol. 7, No. 2• May 2003

A Reader Asks . . .

I am a parent who has adopted a child through my county department of social services. As an adoptive parent in North Carolina, what information am I entitled to receive and how can I go about obtaining it? The agency I worked with seems unwilling to provide me with further information.

Responses by Jeanne Preisler, Director of NC Kids

As an adoptive parent in North Carolina, under State General Statute 48-3-205 you are entitled to receive non-identifying information about your child. Although you could not receive an actual copy of your child’s birth certificate, non-identifying information that may be released includes the date, time of birth, and weight at the time of birth of the adoptee and the reason the adoptee was placed for adoption. In addition, background information about the birth parents, including age at time of adoption, nationality, ethnic background, race, educational level, general physical description, and any other general information should be provided. The health history of the birth parents and other relatives that might have an effect on the adoptee's mental or physical health may also be included if contained in the case record. This health-related information should include each such individual’s present state of physical and mental health, health and genetic histories, and information concerning any history of emotional, physical, sexual, or substance abuse. This health-related information should also include an account of the prenatal and postnatal care received by the minor.

Ideally, you would have received this information prior to the adoption. Although you are now past that point, the first place you should try is still the agency that placed the child with you, which in your case would be DSS. If you have difficulty getting the information from an individual social worker, try the social worker’s supervisor. If for some reason you still have difficulty getting the non-identifying information you could contact Adoption Indexing in Raleigh (Tel: 919/733-3801).

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I was the foster parent for a child who was legally free for adoption. I wanted to adopt him, but I was not chosen for the final placement of the child. I thought North Carolina always looked at the foster parent first!

In North Carolina, each county department of social services makes the final decision regarding adoption placements in its particular county. You are correct in thinking these agencies are required to give priority to the child's foster parents when considering adoptive homes for the child. North Carolina children's services standard 96 states: “When the child becomes legally free for adoption, the agency shall give priority to the child’s placement provider (relative, court approved non-relative, foster family) who is willing and able to adopt the child unless there is documentation that it is not in the child’s best interest.” Not knowing the specfics of your situation, it is not possible to say why your county did not choose you as the adoptive placement for this child. I suggest you contact the supervisor of the social worker coordinating the adoption to find out why you were not selected. (Source: http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dss/childrensservices/docs/CS_AL202a1.pdf)

Even though you were not chosen to be the adoptive parent for this child, please consider other ways of working with the adoptive family so that you can remain in that child’s life—for example, you might be able to set up regularly scheduled visits and respite.

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If you have a question about foster care or adoption in North Carolina, please write, e-mail, or fax your question to us using the contact information found on the "About FP" page on this web site. We’ll do our best to respond to your question either in a direct reply or in a future issue of this newsletter.

Copyright � 2003 Jordan Institute for Families