Fostering & Tpr. Parent Wants Back In From No Contact

We currently have placement of our infant (maternal side) niece. She’s been with us since August (from the hospital), and we’ve been the ones providing all of her day-to-day care from medical appointments, developmental services, daycare, everything. She has some developmental delays and is in Birth to Three, so consistency and routine have been really important for her progress. This is due to being born addicted.

The situation with her parents has been complicated. Her mom has ongoing substance use issues and hasn’t been able to get clean. Her dad has a documented history of abusive behavior toward the mom, including violating protective orders x 5. He has court again in July. He has also told DCF, the mom, and attorneys multiple times that he wanted nothing to do with the baby. He has said multiple times to birth mom to get rid of her when they found out she was pregnant at 6 months - have screen shots and voice recordings he’s sent. He said he wanted the baby aborted at 6 months, adopted, gone, nothing to do with her.

It took DCF 6 scheduled paternity tests to show up.

Now, after about 5 months of no contact with DCF. he has suddenly reappeared and says he wants to be involved in her life. He has violated the protective order by contacting bio mom and said (have screen shots and voice recordings) that he’s going to see the baby to piss her off.

This has been shared with DCF, who isn’t surprised but still are moving forward with visits (baby has had 3 visits total since birth supervised).

DCF has already submitted a permanency plan that moves away from reunification and instead for termination of parental rights, so we’re trying to understand how this late re-entry typically plays out.

He is also now wanting the baby placed with another family member (on his side now). When we have already put forward we want to adopt her following TPR.

We obviously want what’s best for her, and she’s been thriving in a stable, consistent environment with us. It’s just hard to wrap our heads around how someone can disappear, say they don’t want their child, and then reappear at this stage.

Location: CT