Question

All 50 states now have safe haven laws that allow mothers to leave unwanted newborns (usually up to the age of 72 hours) to the care of a safe haven provider. Such an act relieves the mother of any criminal liability but also relieves her of her parental rights to the child. In some states, the mother may be required to provider her name and family history (although some states will guarantee this information remains confidential). Note that mothers will forfeit their rights to anonymity and criminal liability if they have abused or otherwise neglected the child up to the time of abandonment. Mothers also have the right to be informed by safe haven staff that by surrendering the child, they are releasing the child for adoption and that they have the right to petition the court in the appropriate state (within a set time period, such as 28 days) to regain custody. In most states, a child-placement agency must make "reasonable efforts" to identify and locate the non- relinquishing parent (typically, the father) by posting notice in a publication such a as a newspaper in the county where the child was surrendered. In your opinion, are father's rights adequately served, both legally and ethically, by safe haven laws?

Answer 1

Safe haven laws are still not clear about the father's rights on the children. The issues of the newborn left, have to be resolved by the rights of the father. The father has the right to know about the newborn status or to terminate his parental rights. Father's consent and the decision are necessary before the newborn decision. The child's rights have to be safeguard by both father and mother legally and ethically. So in my opinion, Safe haven Laws failed to protect the father's rights. It violates the constitutional rights of the father. Besides benefits, Safe haven Law needs changes in the constitutional rights of the father to protect and control their child.