                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO VOLUNTARY POST-ADOPTION CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION
AGREEMENT (§ 16.1-283.1)

A. In any case in which (i) a child has been placed in foster care as a result
of (a) court commitment, (b) an entrustment agreement entered into by the parent
or parents, or (c) other voluntary relinquishment by the parent or parents; (ii)
the parent or parents have voluntarily consented to the adoption of the child;
or (iii) the parental rights of the parent or parents have been involuntarily
terminated, the child&#8217;s birth parent or parents may enter into a written
post-adoption contact and communication agreement with the pre-adoptive parent
or parents as provided in Article 1.1 (&#xA7; 63.2-1220.2 et seq.) of Chapter 12
of Title 63.2. Unless the parental rights of the birth parent or parents have
been terminated pursuant to subsection E of &#xA7; 16.1-283, a local board of
social services or child welfare agency required to file a petition for a
permanency planning hearing pursuant to &#xA7; 16.1-282.1 may inform the birth
parent or parents and shall inform the adoptive parent or parents that they may
enter into such an agreement and shall inform the child if he is 14 years of age
or older that he may consent to such an agreement.

B. The court may consider the appropriateness of a written post-adoption contact
and communication agreement entered into pursuant to subsection A and in
accordance with Article 1.1 (&#xA7; 63.2-1220.2 et seq.) of Chapter 12 of Title
63.2 at the permanency planning hearing pursuant to &#xA7; 16.1-282.1 and, if
the court finds that all of the requirements of subsection A and Article 1.1
(&#xA7; 63.2-1220.2 et seq.) of Chapter 12 of Title 63.2 have been met, shall
incorporate the written post-adoption contact and communication agreement into
an order entered at the conclusion of such hearing.

HISTORY: 2009, cc. 98, 260; 2010, c. 331; 2019, cc. 65, 84; 2020, c. 98.