§ 15-7-6 - Waiver of parents' right to consent – Guardianship of agency.
SECTION 15-7-6
§ 15-7-6 Waiver of parents' right toconsent – Guardianship of agency. – Any duly licensed child placement agency in this state, or governmental childplacement agency, at the request of the natural parent or parents of a childunder eighteen (18) years of age, may, not sooner than fifteen (15) days afterthe birth of the child, petition the family court for the termination of therights of the natural parents of the child to consent to its adoption. Afterany notice to the natural parents that the court deems proper, a hearing shallbe had prior to the hearing on the petition for adoption in the family court,and if the family court finds after examination of the parent or parents thatthe parent or parents freely join in the petition, and that the granting of thepetition is for the best interests of the child, it shall decree that in thehearing on the adoption of the child the consent of the natural parents asprovided above shall be unnecessary and that the agency shall be the sole partyto give or withhold consent. The granting of the petition to give or withholdconsent to the child placement agency shall also make the agency the guardianof the child for all purposes.