Title 23, DOMESTIC RELATIONS

The court shall take such steps as are reasonably necessary to assure that the identity of the adoptive parent or parents is not disclosed without their consent in any proceeding under this subchapter or Subchapter B (relating to involuntary termination). The Supreme Court may pr…

(a) List of counselors.--Any hospital or other facility providing maternity care shall provide a list of available counselors and counseling services compiled pursuant to subsection (b) to its maternity patients who are known to be considering relinquishment or termination of par…

(a) General rule.--The rights of a parent in regard to a child may be terminated after a petition filed on any of the following grounds: (1) The parent by conduct continuing for a period of at least six months immediately preceding the filing of the petition either has evidenced …

(a) Who may file.--A petition to terminate parental rights with respect to a child under the age of 18 years may be filed by any of the following: (1) Either parent when termination is sought with respect to the other parent. (2) An agency. (3) The individual having custody or st…

(a) Time.--The court shall fix a time for hearing on a petition filed under section 2512 (relating to petition for involuntary termination) which shall be not less than ten days after filing of the petition. (b) Notice.--At least ten days' notice shall be given to the parent or p…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, when a petition has been filed by a parent seeking to involuntarily terminate parental rights of the other parent under section 2511(a)(7) (relating to grounds for involuntary termination), the following apply: (1) The p…

(a) Adoption proceeding rights extinguished.--A decree terminating all rights of a parent or a decree terminating all rights and duties of a parent entered by a court of competent jurisdiction shall extinguish the power or the right of the parent to object to or receive notice of…

(a) General rule.--No intermediary shall place a child in the physical care or custody of a prospective adoptive parent or parents unless a home study containing a favorable recommendation for placement of a child with the prospective parent or parents has been completed within t…

(a) General rule.--Every person now having or hereafter receiving or retaining custody or physical care of any child for the purpose or with the intention of adopting a child under the age of 18 years shall report to the court in which the petition for adoption will be filed. (b)…

The report required by section 2531 (relating to report of intention to adopt) shall be filed within 30 days after the date of receipt of the custody or physical care of the child.

(a) General rule.--Within six months after filing the report of intention to adopt, the intermediary who or which arranged the adoption placement of any child under the age of 18 years shall make a written report under oath to the court in which the petition for adoption will be …

The report of the intermediary shall have attached to it the following exhibits: (1) A birth certificate or certification of registration of birth of the child if it can be obtained. (2) All consents to adoption required by section 2711 (relating to consents necessary to adoption…

(a) General rule.--When a report required by section 2531 (relating to report of intention to adopt) has been filed, the court shall cause an investigation to be made and a report filed by a local public child care agency, a voluntary child care agency with its consent or an appr…

The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the Commonwealth. "PACE." The Pennsylvania Adoption Cooperative Exc…

There shall be a Pennsylvania Adoption Cooperative Exchange in the Office of Children, Youth and Families of the Department of Public Welfare. References in Text. The Department of Public Welfare, referred to in this section, was redesignated as the Department of Human Services b…

(a) Mandatory registration.--PACE shall register and be responsible for the review and referral of children for whom parental rights have been terminated for 90 days and for whom no report of intention to adopt has been filed in the court of common pleas. (b) Optional registratio…

PACE shall be responsible for the following: (1) Registration of adoptive parent applicants who have been approved by agencies. (2) Accumulation and dissemination of statistical information regarding all children registered with PACE. (3) Creation and administration of a public i…

All public and licensed private child service agencies shall register all children with PACE for whom parental rights have been terminated for 90 days and for whom no report of intention to adopt has been filed in the court of common pleas. A public or licensed private agency may…

This subchapter shall not be construed to limit or delay actions by agencies or institutions to arrange for adoptions or other related matters on their own initiative and shall not alter or restrict the duties, authority and confidentiality of the agencies and institutions in tho…

The department shall promulgate necessary regulations and shall hire the staff which is necessary to implement this subchapter.

This subchapter shall apply retroactively to all children for whom: (1) Parental rights have been terminated and for whom no report of intention to adopt has been filed in the court of common pleas. (2) Restoration to the biological family is neither possible nor appropriate, a p…