Uncertainty During a Global Pandemic
Advocate Impact Story
This month’s Story of Hope is a continuation of a story that was previously highlighted in October of 2019. When that story was featured, termination of parental rights had just been granted to the parents of Joshua and Shawn. Both boys were in separate foster to adopt homes; however, both sets of foster parents were dedicated to prioritizing the sibling bond between Shawn and Joshua.
Normally after termination of parental rights an adoption can happen fairly quickly. Unfortunately, in this case we still had a paternal grandmother that was requesting placement and custody of both boys. The grandma had filed a legal intervention so that put the adoptions on pause until the intervention was sorted out. Advocate Janet Penley was determined to see this case through to the adoption of both boys.
Janet continued to visit both boys monthly and follow up with teachers and therapists to ensure they received the care and services they needed. Joshua had an especially hard time during this period because he was very attached to his foster parents and did not understand why there was a delay in his adoption. It seemed that each time we went to court hoping that the adoption could move forward, we were always met with more delays or complications. It was finally ordered that Joshua’s adoption could be consummated since he was not related to the paternal grandmother.
Joshua was finally adopted in April 2020 during all of the quarantine craziness. Joshua’s family, friends, and attorney celebrated his adoption with a festive car parade to mark the occasion. Joshua was finally able to relax in his home with his new family. Once Joshua was adopted all of the focus turned to Shawn and what needed to happen in order for him to have the same happy ending as his brother.
Shawn was getting much needed behavioral therapy but he also needed speech and occupational therapy. Due to Covid-19 these services were only available via Zoom. Unfortunately, Shawn really needed in person services since he was younger and had a shorter attention span. Janet continued to support the foster parents and helped provide some resources and ideas on what they could work on at home until he could attend in-person services.
We had several more court hearings to check on the adoption status and finally a decision was made to set a trial date for all parties to be notified and to address the intervention complication once and for all. Janet diligently completed yet another court report recommending that Shawn stay in his current placement as he had now lived there most of his life and was very bonded to his foster family.
The zoom hearing started and it was announced that the grandmother had come to an agreement with the adoptive parents and that the adoption would be able to proceed that morning. Shawn’s foster care journey was now over almost 3 years to the day that the case was started.
Through it all Janet was the one constant that was there through it all. She was there the day that the kids were removed from their grandmother and every month after that. This was a most unusual case filled with uncertainty and delays due to legal complications and a global pandemic but in the end Shawn and Joshua are thriving and have the brightest of futures.
2026 Impact Awards Honoree: John Carlson
Lena Sierocinski
