In the Matter of D.C. & D.C., Minors (A-71-09) 9-29-10
Under the Child Placement Bill of Rights Act, N.J.S.A.
9:6B-1 to -6, visitation between siblings placed
outside the home is presumed in the period before
adoption, and the Division has an independent
obligation to facilitate visitation. To oppose
visitation, the Division must prove it is contrary to
the child’s welfare under the standards provided in
the Child Placement Bill of Rights Act. After
adoption, adoptive parents are free, within the same
limits as biological parents, to raise their child as
they see fit. Parental autonomy is not absolute,
however. A biological or adoptive family may be
ordered to permit third-party visitation where
necessary to avoid harm to the child.
