Terminating Parental Rights in MD

[Anonymous]

I have a five-year-old with ASD that I just don't think we're able to care for. The available public services, like respite care, are extremely limited. I've always heard it is extremely difficult to terminate parental rights, but I understand it might be possible (with the understanding that you may be required to pay child support).

Does anyone have any experience with this process? How do you do it?

[Anonymous]

OP are you talking about giving a child up to the foster system? Or about trying to get the child into a residential care home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP are you talking about giving a child up to the foster system? Or about trying to get the child into a residential care home?

Residential care would be great, but my understanding is that those are self-pay. We could never dream of paying for that.

[Anonymous]

What level ASD is your child? What supports do you currently have in place?

[Anonymous]

Level 3. Not much is in place after transitioning out of ABA to the public school system.

[Anonymous]

No advice but wanted to send you a hug, OP.

[Anonymous]

I’ve worked in residential facilities and majority of the kids there were funded by school districts. Hire an advocate OP and see what your options are. I think it’s extra hard on those kids in residential without any families. At least the ones with parents got visited and to go home on occasion. Those without any parents were essentially raised by rotating strangers with almost no adults in their life for more than a couple years. They also suffered because they got very little money from the state each year for clothes and necessities. Parents can at least provide some comfort just by providing material items, it makes such a difference. At least explore all your options before taking such a drastic measure.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand termination of parental rights. Get him help through the county and see what options exist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand termination of parental rights. Get him help through the county and see what options exist

Not the OP, but there are no resources other than having deep pockets available to individuals. Making someone a ward of the state is sometimes the only option for residential care.

OP, I imagine this involves hiring a lawyer to help you with the petitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve worked in residential facilities and majority of the kids there were funded by school districts. Hire an advocate OP and see what your options are. I think it’s extra hard on those kids in residential without any families. At least the ones with parents got visited and to go home on occasion. Those without any parents were essentially raised by rotating strangers with almost no adults in their life for more than a couple years. They also suffered because they got very little money from the state each year for clothes and necessities. Parents can at least provide some comfort just by providing material items, it makes such a difference. At least explore all your options before taking such a drastic measure.

+1 I would go into debt to hire a specialized nanny/full-time nurse before taking the kind of step OP is considering. This is so heartbreaking and OP I know you must be suffering to think about this option. I wish we had better, free support for families in this situation. Please take this poster seriously.

[Anonymous]

OP here. What are the realistic prospects for adoption? Are there adoption agencies that are able to find families willing to take on older kids with severe developmental disabilities? It seems unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. What are the realistic prospects for adoption? Are there adoption agencies that are able to find families willing to take on older kids with severe developmental disabilities? It seems unlikely.

It is harder to place kids into adoptive homes when older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. What are the realistic prospects for adoption? Are there adoption agencies that are able to find families willing to take on older kids with severe developmental disabilities? It seems unlikely.

It doesn’t work that way. Your child would go into foster care with a very remote hope of eventually being adopted. Not directly to adoption.

PPs suggesting you hire an advocate are on the right track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve worked in residential facilities and majority of the kids there were funded by school districts. Hire an advocate OP and see what your options are. I think it’s extra hard on those kids in residential without any families. At least the ones with parents got visited and to go home on occasion. Those without any parents were essentially raised by rotating strangers with almost no adults in their life for more than a couple years. They also suffered because they got very little money from the state each year for clothes and necessities. Parents can at least provide some comfort just by providing material items, it makes such a difference. At least explore all your options before taking such a drastic measure.

+1 I would go into debt to hire a specialized nanny/full-time nurse before taking the kind of step OP is considering. This is so heartbreaking and OP I know you must be suffering to think about this option. I wish we had better, free support for families in this situation. Please take this poster seriously.

To what end? Even if you take out a second mortgage for a full time nanny who can work with a special needs nanny, eventually that money runs out and OP is back in the same position. What if OP has other children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve worked in residential facilities and majority of the kids there were funded by school districts. Hire an advocate OP and see what your options are. I think it’s extra hard on those kids in residential without any families. At least the ones with parents got visited and to go home on occasion. Those without any parents were essentially raised by rotating strangers with almost no adults in their life for more than a couple years. They also suffered because they got very little money from the state each year for clothes and necessities. Parents can at least provide some comfort just by providing material items, it makes such a difference. At least explore all your options before taking such a drastic measure.

+1 I would go into debt to hire a specialized nanny/full-time nurse before taking the kind of step OP is considering. This is so heartbreaking and OP I know you must be suffering to think about this option. I wish we had better, free support for families in this situation. Please take this poster seriously.

To what end? Even if you take out a second mortgage for a full time nanny who can work with a special needs nanny, eventually that money runs out and OP is back in the same position. What if OP has other children?

We do have other kids. That's much of the problem-- they've been suffering from the current situation, both physically and due to lack of attention.

We simply don't have the money to hire someone for an extended period of time, nor would we be able to get a loan to cover that.