Through the Responsible Father Registry, men who believe they fathered a child with a woman to whom they are not married can register their personal information in order to be notified when an adoption or a termination of parental rights action is initiated. Biological fathers providing valid addresses to the registry will be personally served with notice.
Prior to the development of the online registry, the South Carolina Department of Social Services or adopting parents were required to place advertisements in newspapers to provide legal notice to unknown biological fathers. Each notice cost the agency several hundred dollars and sometimes delayed the adoption process by months. The creation of the online registry eliminates the need for publication on unknown fathers in adoption and termination cases.
The South Carolina General Assembly passed legislation in 2009 that mandated creation of the registry. Information on the registry is confidential and is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Attorneys handling adoptions and termination of parental rights cases and Department of Social Services staff working in child welfare may request online access to search the registry. In accord with the deadlines established in the legislation, searches will begin in July 2010.
About SC.gov
SC.gov is the official Web site of the state of South Carolina (www.SC.gov) and a collaborative effort between the state and South Carolina Interactive to enable the state to conduct state business online and improve public access to government information. The South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s Division of State Information Technology provides guidance to South Carolina Interactive, who is responsible for operating, maintaining, and marketing SC.gov. South Carolina Interactive is part of eGovernment firm NIC’s (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Scott Moore, Michael Sponhour
Quelle/Source: Business Wire, 26.01.2010
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