Rhode Island General Laws Title 15. Domestic Relations § 15-7-6. Waiver of parents' right to consent--Guardianship of agency

Any duly licensed child placement agency in this state, or governmental child placement agency, at the request of the natural parent or parents of a child under eighteen (18) years of age, may, not sooner than fifteen (15) days after the birth of the child, petition the family court for the termination of the rights of the natural parents of the child to consent to its adoption. After any notice to the natural parents that the court deems proper, a hearing shall be had prior to the hearing on the petition for adoption in the family court, and if the family court finds after examination of the parent or parents that the parent or parents freely join in the petition, and that the granting of the petition is for the best interests of the child, it shall decree that in the hearing on the adoption of the child the consent of the natural parents as provided above shall be unnecessary and that the agency shall be the sole party to give or withhold consent. The granting of the petition to give or withhold consent to the child placement agency shall also make the agency the guardian of the child for all purposes.