Ky.gov
Effective: 6/10/2025

C13.39.1 Independent Relative Adoptions

Legal Authority

Introduction

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Practice Guidance

  • The SSW makes diligent efforts to notify the prospective adoptive family if, at any time during the adoption process, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS/Cabinet) is notified of a medical or genetic condition of the biological relatives that may affect the child being placed for adoption.
  • Central office staff may be consulted at any time there is a concern with a relative adoption or its completion.
  • A prospective adoptive parent(s) has the right to contract with a licensed child-placing agency to complete their home study and background checks.
  • Central office staff will not make an assignment to a local Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) office if a private agency has already completed the assessment or if the applicant states that they are going to contact a private agency for assistance. 

Procedure

Central Office Staff:

  1. Enters the relative adoption information into TWIST within five (5) working days of receipt of a relative adoption petition;
  2. Assigns the case to the appropriate recruitment and certification (R&C) FSOS or designee and scans a copy of the assignment to the assigned person. The assignment should include the ninety (90) calendar day due date for the local office to have the court report submitted to the appropriate court of jurisdiction;
  3. Maintains a log of all active relative adoption petitions; and
  4. Seals and archives cases that are completed by adoption decree/judgment or dismissal.
 
The SSW: 

  1. Sends a letter to the adoption petitioner(s) advising that the family will need to contact the worker to schedule an appointment for a home visit. The letter should also advise the petitioner of the following:
    1. All household members need to be interviewed, including the child(ren) to be adopted;
    2. Timeframes for completion of the assessment, and consequences of untimely submission;
    3. The need for additional documentation, such as:
      1. A background check for applicants of foster/adoptive parents for each adult household member;
      2. Copy of any marriage certificates or divorce decrees from previous marriages; and 
      3. A death certificate involving a former spouse, if applicable.  
  2. Completes a minimum of one (1) home visit with the adoption petitioner. The visit(s) shall include:
    1. An interview with all household members;
    2. A walk-through of the home, including observation of the child’s bedroom to ensure that all safety threats and risk factors are clearly mitigated with documentation and summarized within the assessment;
    3. Procurement of all requested documentation, i.e., background check, DPP 191, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, death certificate, etc.; and
      1. ​A DPP-157 for those applicants who have resided in KY within the last five (5) years or more.  Applicants who have resided outside of KY within the last five (5) years will need to be fingerprinted utilizing the DPP-162 and DPP-163 forms. 
      2. Information and supporting documentation related to the assessment of an individual with a disabilty. 
    4. Documentation of the child(ren)’s background, needs, and the ability of the potential adoptive parent to meet the child(ren)’s needs.
  3. Sends the DPP-157 Background Checks for applicants of foster/adoptive parents to the Division of Administration and Financial Management (DAFM) Records Management Section, documenting in TWIST the date sent;
  4. Uploads the DPP-162 and DPP-163 forms into KARES for those individuals who have lived outside of KY within the last five (5) years; 
  5. Sends a certified letter to the birth parent(s) advising of the need to interview them.  The letter should also advise the parent(s) of the following:
    1. The need to obtain a family health history and consent for future contact forms;
    2. DPP-191 Information to be Obtained from the Placing Parent form; and
    3. DPP-192 Biological Parent Consent form, along with a stamped return envelope.
  6. Makes at least two (2) varied attempts to locate the biological parent(s).  These attempts may include:
    1. A certified letter;
    2. Phone call;
    3. Home visit;
    4. Internet search;
    5. Absent parent search; or
    6. Lexus Nexus search.
  7. Meets with the parent(s) if possible to:
    1. Obtain the health history of the biological parent(s) and other relatives on the DPP-191 Information to be Obtained From Placing Parent;
    2. Obtain a signed copy of the DPP-192 Biological Parent Consent Form; and
    3. Discuss with parent(s) their feelings about the pending adoption.
  8. Makes a positive or negative recommendation for approval of the adoptive placement;
    1. If the individual has a disability, a negative recommendation cannot be made solely based on the disability of a prospective caregiver without considering whether targeted adaptive or supportive services could enable the prospective caregiver to provide essential care and protection for the child.
  9. Discusses the assessment and any concerns with the appropriate FSOS or designee;
  10. Completes the court report and cover letter stating if the Cabinet recommends that the adoption petition be granted; 
  11. Mails the following to the circuit or family court judge in the county where the adoption was filed:
    1. Original court report;
    2. Cover letter, signed by the FSOS or designee;
    3. Copies of pages four (4) and six (6) of the DPP 191; and
    4. Original DPP-192.
  12. Mails a copy of the cover letter only to the attorney for the petitioner, which advises that the court report is complete and the Cabinet’s recommendations; 
  13. Mails pages four (4) and six (6) of the DPP 191 to the adoptive parent(s) when available;
  14. Enters the court report and all relevant information into TWIST and uploads the report and all supporting documentation into TWIST under the home study tab; 
    1. To ensure filling into the correct court case, the cover letter should include:
      1. Adoption petitioner’s name(s);
      2. Name of the child being adopted;
      3. County; 
      4. Civil action number; and 
      5. The date documentation is filed with the court.  
  15. Notifies the Adoption Services Branch when the documents have been uploaded into TWIST;
  16. Maintains contact with the adoptive family and/or the court with enough frequency to be informed of the adoption hearing date. Shares the hearing date information with the Adoption Services Branch; and
  17. Assists with obtaining the adoption judgment and providing a copy to the Adoption Services Branch if a copy is not received from the clerk.
 
The R&C FSOS or designee:

  1. Receives the assignment from the Adoption Services Branch and assigns it to the SSW;
  2. Monitors the case to ensure compliance with the mandated ninety (90) calendar days, from the filing date, not the assignment date, the completion timeframe for the court report to be submitted to the appropriate court of jurisdiction; and 
  3. Ensures that if, for some reason, there is a delay in receiving the petition, a letter is sent to the court of jurisdiction, with a copy to the Adoption Services Branch and the attorney for the petitioner, advising that there will be a delay in completion of the court report.


Contingencies and ​​Clarifications

 
  • Non-residential parent(s) addresses should be listed in the adoption petition, if known.
  • In relative and stepparent adoptions when the biological parent(s) resides out-of-state, a request for completion of the DPP-191 and DPP-192 is sent directly to the parent, not through the interstate compact coordinator.
  • If there is a delay in receiving the petition, the FSOS or their designee ensures that a letter is sent to the court of jurisdiction, with a copy to the Adoption Services Branch and the petitioner's attorney, advising that a delay has occurred in completing the court report. 
  • If the court orders DCBS not to complete a court report, the R&C worker follows the court’s instruction. The Adoption Services Branch will enter the case into TWIST and assign it to the local R&C FSOS, providing​ instructions. The worker completes a letter to the court using the No Court Report letter template and provides a copy to the Adoption Services Branch. The same procedure will be followed if the family has hired a private agency to complete the court report.    
  • If the court finalizes an adoption before DCBS submits the court report, the R&C worker submits the court report along with the cover letter. A copy of the court report and cover letter is provided to the Adoption Services Branch. 
  • In stepparent adoptions, a background check on the custodial parent is not required. 


Documents

Revisions

​10/17/2023
2.  Assigns the case to the appropriate recruitment and certification (R&C) FSOS or designee and mails or scans a copy of the assignment to the assigned person. The assignment should include the ninety (90) calendar day due date for the local office to have the court report submitted to the appropriate court of jurisdiction;​
3.  Creates a hard copy file for the adoption and maintains the file throughout completion;
4.  Uploads the DPP-162 anad DPP-163 forms into KARES for those individuals who have lived outside of KY within the last five (5) years; ​


14.  Enters the court report and all relevant information into TWIST and uploads the report and all supporting documentation into TWIST under the home study tab; ​
15.  Notifies the Adoption Services Branch when the documents have been uploaded into TWIST; or sends a copy of the documentation to the Adoption Services Branch via scanned email;

6/10/2025
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ii.  Information and supporting documentation related to the assessment of an individual with a disability.

A.  If the individual has a disability, a negative recommendation cannot be made solely based on the disability of a prospective caregiver without considering whether targeted adaptive or supportive services could enable the prospective caregiver to provide essential care and protection for the child.