Section 8702 Of Chapter 2. Agency Adoptions From California Family Law Code >> Division 13. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 2.
8702
. (a) The department shall adopt a statement to be presented to
the birth parents at the time a relinquishment is signed and to
prospective adoptive parents at the time of the home study. The
statement shall, in a clear and concise manner and in words
calculated to ensure the confidence of the birth parents in the
integrity of the adoption process, communicate to the birth parents
of a child who is the subject of an adoption petition all of the
following facts:
(1) It is in the child's best interest that the birth parent keep
the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency
to whom the child was relinquished for adoption informed of any
health problems that the parent develops that could affect the child.
(2) It is extremely important that the birth parent keep an
address current with the department, county adoption agency, or
licensed adoption agency to whom the child was relinquished for
adoption in order to permit a response to inquiries concerning
medical or social history.
(3) Section 9203 of the Family Code authorizes a person who has
been adopted and who attains the age of 21 years to request the
department, county adoption agency, or the licensed adoption agency
to disclose the name and address of the adoptee's birth parents.
Consequently, it is of the utmost importance that the birth parent
indicate whether to allow this disclosure by checking the appropriate
box provided on the form.
(4) The birth parent may change the decision whether to permit
disclosure of the birth parent's name and address, at any time, by
sending a notarized letter to that effect, by certified mail, return
receipt requested, to the department, county adoption agency, or to
the licensed adoption agency that joined in the adoption petition.
(5) The relinquishment will be filed in the office of the clerk of
the court in which the adoption takes place. The file is not open to
inspection by any persons other than the parties to the adoption
proceeding, their attorneys, and the department, except upon order of
a judge of the superior court.
(b) The department shall adopt a form to be signed by the birth
parents at the time the relinquishment is signed, which shall provide
as follows: