Abstract

ABSTRACT:Adoption is a relatively new and evolving institution. The characteristics of children available for adoption are changing. Some hard-to-place children will be helped by subsidized adoption. The concept of children as property of biologic parents continues to shadow efforts to terminate parental rights. Virginia law allows adoption against parental consent if such consent is withheld contrary to the child's welfare, but decisions continue to be based upon whether or not parental behavior has been sufficiently extreme to justify a finding of unfitness. New legislation is required to put the child's interests on a par with those of parents.