Re the safe haven laws that allow stressed parents to abandon children to the state if they feel they can’t care for them, this claim of ineffectiveness was laid out in this article, but was not discussed much further.
Any more info on this claim re “safe haven” laws being largely ineffective with respect to their target population?
Well, at the very least, this case in NY shows that he NY law is a bit flawed.
Short version - the 14 yo mother of a six month old tells the baby’s father she can’t care for him any longer. So baby’s 28 yo father cooks up scheme to make it appear that the baby was left in a taxi, since NY’s law only allows Safe Haven status for a few days after birth.
Whatever one thinks about the father or his relationship with the baby’s mother - I have to believe that giving a 14 yo girl an out is a large part of what these sorts of laws were meant to provide. And there is such romanticism about parenting that I have trouble imagining most teen mothers being willing to consider abandoning their child within a few days of birth. ISTM that it often takes months for the reality of the burdens of parenthood to sink in.
People who feel trapped by their children would seem to be at high risk for becoming child abusers. If these laws are to have any benefit other than the cosmetic, limiting them to just 72 hours post delivery seems foolish.
I’m not sure that allowing up to 19 yos to be simply abandoned into Safe Havens is any better. But opening the window out for 18 months post birth would seem to make sense to me. Among other things it will allow both for people to accept the reality of the work of parenting, and for those parents who are seeking help to be individually counseled on the possibility of using the law to arrange things for themselves and their baby.
As I understand it, Safe Havens are to be used to anonymously abandon a newborn infant. A parent who wishes to surrender an older child must do so through Department of Human Services or whatever agency your state has as a variant. In either case, you can give up parental rights to the child, there is just more paperwork involved with an older child.
I live in a small town. A few months ago, a newborn child was brought in to a designated Safe Haven and handed over. I think that is a win, at least for that baby.
The intention is to give mothers an option if they feel they can’t properly care for their child. I’m not sure there’s really any failure or success to be had here. If nobody is using it, that’s OK, the option is still available.
:eek: Those must be troublesome kids indeed!