Legal Authority/Introduction

LEGAL AUTHORITY:

• 45 CFR 1355.34 Public Welfare-Criteria for determining substantial conformity
• 922 KAR 1:100 Public agency adoptions.

The support of the non-adopting foster parents is required for the successful adoptive placement of a child.  This includes supporting the child through the termination of parental rights process as well as the adoptive placement process.

Procedure

The SSW:

1. Communicates with and includes foster parents in the planning and implementation of the adoptive placement process;
2. Helps the foster parents deal with issues relating to the loss of a child by:
1. Sharing general information about the adoptive family with the foster parents;
2. Asking the foster parents for their cooperation and support of the placement throughout the entire process;
3. Informing the foster parents of the pre-placement conference and the value of their attendance;
4. Preparing the foster parents for possible deteriorating behavior in the child prior to the adoption placement;
5. Offering therapeutic resource linkages for both the child and the foster parents to address grief and loss issues;
6. Asking the foster parent to complete the DSS-892-Daily Routine Form;
7. Encouraging the foster parents to give the child permission to move on; and
8. Maintaining contact and providing an appropriate venue for the foster parents to express their feelings of sadness due to the child’s move.