Baby Cooperatives: Rethinking the Nature of Family

59 Pages Posted: 19 Jul 2012

See all articles by Michele Goodwin

Michele Goodwin

Georgetown University Law Center; University of California, Irvine School of Law

Naomi Duke

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Date Written: March 11, 2012

Abstract

The foster care funding system is rooted in historic ideology rather than pragmatic reasoning suited to children’s needs today. It creates perverse economic incentives and promotes rent-seeking behavior; as a result, it bears poor outcomes. Baby Cooperatives provides a new way of thinking of family that develops a contact-based, civil union model and expands it to permit 2-5 persons to join in a legalized parenting “family.” The article explains the policy framework, and sets forth and applies an eight-point test that such cooperatives must meet.

Keywords: adoption, foster care, family, child abuse, economics, civil unions, cooperatives, kibbutz

JEL Classification: H11, H31, H53, H54, I12, I18, I30, I31, I32, I38, I39, J12, J13, J15, J16, J18, J54, K12, P46

Suggested Citation

Goodwin, Michele and Duke, Naomi, Baby Cooperatives: Rethinking the Nature of Family (March 11, 2012). Minnesota Legal Studies Research Paper No. 12-34, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2112477 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2112477

Michele Goodwin (Contact Author)

Georgetown University Law Center ( email )

University of California, Irvine School of Law ( email )

401 E. Peltason Dr.
Ste. 1000
Irvine, CA 92697-1000
United States

Naomi Duke

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ( email )

420 Delaware St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
United States

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