Oh a big fat juicy kiss goes out to Brandi… because she asked me a question on “contracts” in adoption relinquishment and go me working and digging on this…

February 22, 2007
Amy XXXXXX
Executive Director etc.
Dear Amy,

If you can recall when you called me on the phone at my home on my son, Max’s, 18th birthday, I inquired as the location and availability of the relinquishment forms and my records. As I had previously stated, I never did receive a copy of anything I signed at the time and did now desire to have a copy of my legal records.
You informed me that I would have to send Adoptions with Love a check in the sum of 50 dollars as the files were in a storage facility and needed to be retrieved.
To be completely truthful, that was not something I was comfortable doing. It seemed somewhat wrong to have to pay for something that I felt was my legal right.
It has taken me a while, but I now know that it is my legal rights and I respectfully re-request that Adoptions with Love provide me with the paperwork that bares my signature at no cost to me.
As Massachusetts Commonwealth law requires that all adoptions be made only though a licensed agency as put forth by MA regulation #102 CMR 5.01 et seq. Agencies Offering Child Placement and Adoption Services, Licensure or Approval Standards, Office of Child Care Services and knowing that Adoptions with Love fell under that jurisdiction at the time, I submit the following to base my claim:
 

•  102 CMR 5.04,( 3)
  (c) Each licensee shall establish a system of business management and staffing to assure that the agency maintains complete and accurate accounts, books and records, including required financial, personnel and children’s, foster and adoptive parent applicants’, foster and adoptive parents’ and birth parents’ records.
•  102 CMR 5.04 (3)
  (j) Provision of and Explanation of Agreements. The licensee shall provide birth parents, foster and adoptive parents a clear explanation in their own language of every term of any agreement before they sign it. The licensee shall provide birth parents, foster and adoptive parents with a copy of any agreement they sign.
•  102 CMR 5.04 (8)
  (8) Misleading Information. The licensee shall not knowingly and willfully make any statement or prepare or use any document that is known to be false or conceal or misrepresent any material fact, in connection with the provision of services to birth parents, foster or adoptive parents, foster or adoptive parent applicants or children.
•  102 CMR 5.09: (1)
  Information At Intake. The licensee shall provide the following information to birth parents in writing at intake: (i) copies of all documents they may possibly be asked to sign;
•  102 CMR 5.09(3)
  (f) Birth parents shall be notified in writing prior to the payment of any allowable expense, that such payment, if provided, shall not be contingent upon placement of their child for adoption.
•  102 CMR 5.09 (4) Follow-up Services. The licensee shall make available at no cost to the birth parents, either directly or by referral, any necessary services to the birth parent(s) following adoption placement of their child. These services shall include the following:
  (a) factual information pertaining to any adoption services provided at the agency, including those permitted by M.G.L. c. 210, § 5D;
  (b) counseling concerning adoption related issues such as identity, roles and relationships;
  (c) counseling and other services which support placements;
  (d) assistance in joining or developing support groups;
  (e) general information regarding current adoption issues, practices and laws.

While I understand that perhaps these same laws and regulations were not possibly as intact and as complete as they are now, I would hopefully assume that you would still honor the regulations that you must subscribe to now.
I shall expect a full copy of my files within a weeks time of receipt of this letter at my home address as listed below. As you know, there is no need to black out any identifiable information as I am quite aware of my son’s adopted identity and am in contact with him.
Thank you.
Claudia Corrigan Sheeley
Legal name at relinquishment: Claudia Corrigan
Mother to Max Corrigan BOD 11/14/87
aka XXX his name, my addy etc
CC:
Department of Early Education and Care
Office of Child Care Services
51 Sleeper Street, 4th Floor,
Boston, MA 02210