Adoption Selection: Caseworker, Local or Central Committee

Developed by Portland State UniversityCenter for Improvement of Child and Family Services

Child Welfare Partnership

Learning Objectives

• Become familiar with the process of adoption selection.

• Be familiar with the policies pertinent to adoption selection.

• Identify the roles of adoption committee members.

Introduction & OverviewVirtual Meet & Greet

Activity

Text Answers to Questions• What motivates me to participate in selection

processes?

• Share successes you have experienced or hope to experience via the selection process.

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Albert Einstein

New Directions for DHS Adoptions

• I-E.1.1 Search for and Engagement of Relatives

• I-G.1.1 Foster Parent Request for Consideration as a Current Caretaker

• I-G.1.2 Identification and Consideration of Potential Adoption Resources

• I-G.1.5 Adoption Placement Selection

• I-G.1.10 Adoption Placement, Supervision & Support

Prioritizing Resources for Adoption

• Relative (a-c)• Relative (d) or Current Caretaker along

with relative (d) through Perm Committee process, or both

• Current Caretaker with general applicants or alone, through Perm Committee process

• General applicant (can be non-CC & non-relative FP) when a determination has been made under OAR 413-120-0580(2)(b)(B)

• General applicants not included above

*I-G.1.2 OAR 413-120-0730

Selection Options• Caseworker, Supervisor and Child’s

Team• Local Committee• Central Committee

Selection by Caseworker

• Criteria Met By ONE of the Following– Child is an Indian child; selection complies with Policy I-E.2.1,

“Placement of Indian Children“”– The child is refugee child ; selection complies with Policy I-

E.2.2, “Placement of Refugee Children“” – A relative being considered alone

Diligent search is completed; no outstanding assessments for any relative

– Current caretaker is being considered alone– General applicants; child is under six years of age; no

extraordinary needs

– CF 255 Caseworker Adoption Decision Report or – CF 251 Section 10

Relative Foster Parents/Adoption

• No Permanency Committee and No Time Frame

• Child summary not required for home study• Do: Informal staffing /caseworker, certifier,

adoption worker /discuss child’s needs & family issues needing assessment

• No form for staffing, document in case notes• Adoption worker addresses issues in

adoption update to home study

Foster Parent Consideration• Review diligent search for relatives• If qualifies, present at Permanency

Committee• Caseworker fills out CF 251 prior• CWPM or designee makes decisions:

Will the foster home be considered Will the foster home be considered

alone or with others

• Upon completion of study follow adoption process protocol

What is a Current Caretaker? Non-relative Foster Parent: • Currently caring for a child in DHS custody

and has a permanency plan or concurrent permanent plan of adoption;

• Has cared for the child or at least one sibling in a sibling group under consideration for at least the past 12* consecutive months; &

• Identified by DHS as a potential adoptive resource for the child

* No time line exception.

Steps in Caseworker Selection• Determine eligible for Caseworker Selection

• Consult with Adoption Workers, share and gain information

• Ensure child and family materials in to Central Office

• Gather input from child’s team• Consult with supervisor who reviews for diligent

search• Determine families to consider• Inform adoption worker who consults with

families• Set selection date & notify child’s team; 10 days

advance notice• Consider input from team, note selection date in

OrKids

Process of Caseworker Selection

• Make selection• Notify adoption workers by end of day• Send notice to child’s team members on 272

by end of next business day• Send notice, by end of next business day, to

adoptive family not studied by DHS on 260• DHS Adoption worker sends notice to their

families on 260 by end of next business day• Document decisions: 255 or 251 if CC alone• Notify Central Office of selection within 3

days

Level of Attendance at Committee of Non Committee Members

• Adoption Worker - full• Child’s Worker - full• Parties (tribe, CASA, child’s attorney) - full• Child – excused after presentation• Foster parent (not being considered a

resource) - excused after presentation• Others (MD, therapist, etc) – excused after

presentation

Recommendation by Local Committee (at least one criteria applies)

• One child 6 or over

• Resources include current foster parent and general applicants

• Caseworker wants input due to dynamics or complexities of the case (with Supervisor approval)

• CF 259 Adoption Committee Member and Adoption Decisions Specialist Worksheet

• CF 250 Adoption Recommendation and Selection Report

Required for all Committees

• CF 273 Adoption Program Confidentiality Statement for Adoption – Adoption Committee

Central Office Adoption Committee

• Resources include more than one relative or sibling placement resource

• Resources include current caretaker and relatives

• Resources include more than one current caretaker for siblings

• Caseworker/local office want input due to dynamics or complexities of the case (with Supervisor approval)

Central Office Adoption Committee

• When a resource is given approval for consider in a change of order of preference

• When a potential resource lives abroad

• DHS staff and Conflict of Interest applies

• Non-DHS staff and potential conflict of interest

• CF 250 & 259

Role of Adoption Committee Participants

• Adoption Decision Specialist

Role of Adoption Committee Participants

• Adoption Committee Facilitator

Role of Adoption Committee Participants

• Adoption Committee Members

• Observers

Thank You For Your Participation

• Be sure you are signed up for Part 2 Thursday, April 23 @ 1 pm

• Will focus on Values & Practice

• Completion of Parts 1 & 2 satisfies requirement for training for adoption committee members