Adoption of Arthur

A remarkable fourteen year old boy, whom we shall call Arthur (the name is fictitious) has been under the care and custody of the Department of Social Services (department) for most of his life. The most recent petition (brought pursuant to G. L. c. 119, § 23) was filed in 1986 and was contested by both of his parents, who live apart and have never been married to one another.2 He appreciates that living with either biological par*915ent is no longer feasible and has settled into a caring foster home where he does extremely well, performing superbly in school and maintaining an active…