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Firstly: It is tough, but if you are guided by the fact that this is not about you or your interests (at all), but rather about the interests of that child - then your approach will become clearer.
Secondly: Accept that unless the biological parents are abusing the child, that is where the child belongs and the reality is that the courts will have to be persuaded (beyond a rash, dirt or the mother's profession) before they interfere.

So what are you left with?

The biological parents don't sound like the kind of people who will hold it together for too long. Your first job is persuade them to let you remain as a constant in the child's life - so that you can be there to pick up the pieces when things fall apart. Two strategies here: Firstly, appeal to their good sense. You have loved and looked after their child when they needed it. The child has formed a bond with you. Ask them to let you be the aunty while being completely clear that they are the parents and make all the decisions. You want to visit from time to time - help out with school, when that comes and be part of a happy extended family. You will NEVER undermine them. On the other hand, if they child does become threatened through abuse, you will no about it and be there to intervene - keep records... of everything.

Secondly, if strategy one doesn't work, tell them that you have been advised by lawyers and psychologists that you should fight this in the courts and that you have a good chance of success given the circumstances under which the child came to be in your care and your ability to offer the child a loving home. However, you think it must be hard - no impossible - for a parent to be denied his/her child (you know what this feels like, even though you are just the surrogate parent). Therefore, you will ignore this legal advice and agree to hand back the child, provided they allow you to be an 'aunty'.

Either way, you will have to swallow your pride and your better judgment and try your best to make friends with people who you find distasteful (at present). You will have to develop some real empathy for their situation and be supportive, non-threatening and kind. You are doing this in the best interests of that child - in order that you may play a positive role in her life. It's not ideal and you may well have been able to offer a far better home and upbringing - but this is the hand you have been dealt, you cannot change the cards, so do the best you can in the circumstances, knowing full well that it may place a strain on you, your relationship and your family.

Did you Adopt the child legally? If so then the bio parents may not interfere untill the child is 18yrs old,the Bio parents should not even know where you live and have no contact with the child. you are the parents now and having young little baby being passed from one set of parents to the next is detramental to the child.

Fight for your child, no matter what, if the Bio parents signed the adoption papers, there is nothing they can do...

ps . Im an adopted child who found my mom when I was 19.... the ability of my adoptive parents to be my parents (gardians) have given me the stability in my life to achieve what I have today, and I still wanted to meet my bio mom, and in hindsight I can assure you from my situation, that bio parents must not get involved at all untill the child is 18 and if the child wants to meet them

I understand that this is a highly emotional issue but your post is quite revealing,and not in a positive way.
Sorry to say but you do not come across as the best parental influence either.

Interesting. "My children" have been living with me for the last 10yrs - thay are now 10 and 14. I am married to their natural mother. Nat Father and her ex hubby, was never that involved in their growing up. Nat father moved to another prov about 3 or 4 yrs ago and has made no contact for that time - not that he made much contact when he was near. I now want to adopt the children - they are both very very keen, but nat father will probably not agree to this (note that he has NOT supported them financially at all eg maint and school fees). Anyone want to hazard a guess at my chance of success ?

Dear Readers

I think with all the facts raised you should all concider visiting the Office of the Family Advocate who will offer sound advice. There is also the Child Act which protects the rights of children and i hope it will provide you with some light. Above all, i think its imperative that you should refrain from thinking you know whats good for the children, IF ALL OF YOU FEEL LOVE FOR THE CHILDREN THEN ITS NOT IMPORTANT WHETHER THEY ARE LEGALLY YOURS OR NOT, FOR YOUR LOVE WILL BE UNCONDITIONAL. God be with you in all your endevours to do Good.

Possibly, they ARE the best parental influence this child could have, but have difficulty expressing themselves in writing.

I am not even going to tell you that it's going to cost ALOT of money to win this and you can, with ease if you have the money...Court ONLY wants facts..not emotions as the Magistrate has no personal involvement, they look at what is BEST for the CHILD! There is no way you can avoid this....going to cost you.....

What a bunch of selfish, self-righteous, arrogant fools. I'm referring to the first post on this page (Posted: 06 March 2010 12:45:42 PM). Having money and means, and not having to daily fight for survival, makes you no more worthy to be a parent.
Poverty is no crime. Being desperate for help when you cannot afford raising your children alone is not contemptible. A poor mother resorting to the oldest profession is only as criminal as the rich men that use her. Abandoning a husband with children is unfortunate, but then trying later to make things work is laudable. A proud father trying to get his child back deserves a standing ovation, but you choose to deride him for living in a trailer park. For Christ's sake, it's a roof over their heads. There are many parents raising their children in tin shacks in this country.

Considering yourself fortunate to get the cute 3-month old baby rather than the older child is self-centered and despicable. Applying for foster care is not like getting in a queue to get babies handed out like free lollipops. Unless it's an orphan, you should only be doing it to give unselfish assistance to an entire family in need of rehabilitation. Uplifting the child is your part, while the social worker tries to uplift the parents. The aim must always be to re-unite them someday. Can you really not see that trying to keep the child is like theft?

This is coming from a foster father. I do love my foster son, but what is in his best interest is not material wealth, it is giving him pride in his heritage.

Find out how much money they want and then negotiate pay them once they sign the adoption papers