|
|
                                      |
CHILDREN SERVICES The following information describes the adoption process from beginning to end: Adoption inquiry - the prospective applicant calls or stops in to discuss the process. An agency worker has 7 days to respond to this call by sending a response letter including the agency adoption policy, general adoption information, and subsidy information. The prospective adoptive applicants will be invited to Pre-Service Classes up to two times. Classes are held in the Spring and Fall. All prospective adoptive applicants must attend the 24 hour Pre-Service training regarding the following topics: Orientation and Overview of Foster Care / Adoption / Kinship Care; Team building; Family Systems and Abuse and Neglect; Impact of Abuse and Neglect on Child Development; Attachment, Separation and Placement; Discipline; Primary Families; Cultural Issues in Placement; Sexual Abuse; Effects of Caregiving on the Family; Permanency Issues for Children; Permanency Issues for Families. Prospective applicants also meet with a current adoptive parent to discuss questions and the adoption process from the perspective of a parent who has completed the entire process. Prospective applicants review Washington County Children Services Board adoptive policy. The prospective adoptive parents submit an application to the agency. The following is a listing of home assessment requirements and supporting documentation for adoptive home assessments:
The prospective adoptive parents meet with Caseworker at least 2/3 times for several hours at a time in order to compile home assessment information and address questions. All members of the household are interviewed. After the home assessment is completed, the Caseworker, Adoption Unit Supervisor and the Director sign the approval or denial for the adoptive home evaluation. An approved adoptive family is then considered to be "waiting". The family may be looking into prospective placements and/or interviewing with various adoptive agencies regarding possible adoptive placements. Prior to an adoptive placement the following activities occur: The prospective family meets with the placement panel that may include any or all of the following personnel: adoption worker, adoption unit supervisor, ongoing caseworker, ongoing case manager, ongoing unit supervisor, office manager, and director. The family, their background, and home assessment are discussed as well as the adoptive child (traits, background, and history of abuse/neglect). If approved, the family then meets the child and a visitation schedule is initiated the family will visit with the child for progressively longer visits starting with a supervised visit for a couple of hours, moving to home visits, overnight, weekend, week long, and a 30 day home visit at the adoptive family's home. The family also receives a Child Study Inventory regarding the child which includes a history of the child's birth family and social/medical information, substitute care placement history, the child's developmental history and complete medical file, a chronological listing of significant events in the child's life, school information, psychological or psychiatric information, a listing of the child's identified and anticipated special needs, and the child's legal file. The adoptive placement is made: At the time of the adoptive placement, the adoptive family meets with the Adoption Caseworker, Adoption Unit Supervisor, Director, and FACSIS Operator. The child's Guardian ad Litem, the Ongoing Caseworker and/or Case manager, and all other Unit Supervisor's and the Office Manager are also invited to attend this meeting. Again the adoptive family's attributes are addressed. The adoptive child is discussed at length with any concerns, the past history of abuse/neglect, any behavioral difficulties, and the identified and anticipated special needs specially addressed to ensure full disclosure to the adoptive parents and their ability to effectively meet the child's needs. The child must reside with the adoptive family for at least six months prior to the adoption hearing in the probate court. The Board must consent to the adoption prior to the adoptive family petitioning the court for finalization. The agency must continue contact after the adoptive placement: a phone call must be made to the family in 4 days of the adoptive placement, a home visit must be made in 7 days; a home visit must be made within the 1st 4 weeks; visits must be made monthly until the adoption finalizes. The adoptive family petitions the Probate Court to finalize the adoption. The Probate Court then assigns the agency to complete a Prefinalization Adoption Assessment Report prior to the court hearing. Based on the favorable results of this report and the Judge's determination, the adoption will finalize, if appropriate. The Judge may also sign an Interlocutory Order of Adoption and set the adoption hearing for a later date. At any time between the adoptive placement and the finalization of the adoption, the agency may remove the child, if the best interests of the child warrants such action, or the adoptive parents may request that the child be removed from the home. Once the adoption is final, the agency typically closes the case for case planning purposes. Adoption cases remain open in FACSIS due to the child's adoption subsidies. Post Adoption Services can be accessed at any time by contacting the agency. If you are considering adopting a child, PLEASE email Betty Fulks or Tami Clark or call us at 740-373-3485. We can answer questions and get you headed in the right direction! Teri Wright Kinship Homes | Adoptive Homes | Washington County Children Services ©2010 Washington County |