1750. Adoption Planning Reviews (APR)

Original Date: July 1, 2023

Sunset Review Date: July 31, 2027

Approved by: Frank Ordway, Chief of Staff

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish requirements when conducting Adoption Planning Reviews (APR).

APRs are a type of shared planning meeting (SPM) that:

Takes place prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR).
Identifies prospective adoptive placements and additional services for children or youth.
Determines if Open Adoption Agreements (OAA) or Letters of Intent are appropriate when adoption is identified as the permanent plan.
Develops recruitment plans for children or youth not placed in a prospective adoptive placement.

Scope

This policy applies to child welfare employees.

Laws

RCW 13.34.145 Permanency planning hearing-Purpose-Time limits-Goals-Review hearing-Petition for termination of parental rights-Guardianship petition-Agency responsibility to provide services to parents-Due process rights

RCW 26.33.080 Petition for relinquishment-Filing-Written consent required

RCW 26.33.110 Petition for termination-Time and place of hearing-Notice of hearing and petition-Contents

RCW 26.33.350 Medical reports-Requirements

RCW 26.33.380 Family and social history report required-Identity of birth parents confidential

RCW 70.02.220 Sexually transmitted diseases-Permitted and mandatory disclosures

RCW 74.13.289 Blood-borne pathogens-Client information-Training

Policy

Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS) caseworkers:

Must conduct an APR within 30 calendar days of one of the following:
1. Courts changing the permanent plan to adoption.
2. Submitting a TPR referral to the Assistant Attorney General (AAG).
3. Accepting a relinquishment of parental rights.
May combine APRs with permanency planning meetings.

Procedures

Identifying a Family as a Prospective Adoptive Placement
1. CFWS caseworkers must complete the following when children or youth are placed with families that would like to be identified as a prospective adoptive placement:
  1. Verify:
    1. The relative search was completed and relatives have been contacted, per the Kinship Care: Searching for, Placing with, and Supporting Relatives and Suitable Other Persons policy.
    2. Both the chapter 13.36 RCW guardianship and the chapter 11.130 RCW guardianship of a minor using the Permanency Planning Matrix CWP_0088 publication has been discussed with the child’s or youth’s parents and caregivers, as an alternative to TPR and adoption, per the Guardianships policy.
    3. Caregivers have a current home study approving them as an adoptive placement. If the home study either:
      1. Has not been completed:
        Complete the home study request in the DCYF- Child Welfare Field Ops Hub SharePoint to notify the LD Kinship Notification Unit.
        Follow the Background Checks policy.
      2. Is not current:
        Determine in consultation with adoption caseworkers if an adoption home study update is required, per the Completing Home Studies policy.
        Complete kinship home study request in the DCYF- Child Welfare Field Ops Hub SharePoint to notify the LD Kinship Notification Unit.
        Follow the Background Checks policy.
  2. Complete the Family Genetic and Medical History DCYF 13-041 form with both birth parents, if not completed.
  3. Initiate referrals for social, medical, mental health, educational, or other appropriate assessments or services for the child or youth, if applicable.
  4. Schedule an APR when required with the individuals identified on the Guide to Shared Planning Meetings DCYF CWP_0070 publication.
  5. During APRs:
    1. Follow the steps in the Guide to Shared Planning Meetings DCYF CWP_0070 publication.
    2. Determine if:
      1. The family will be able to safely meet the child’s or youth’s needs.
      2. Being adopted by the prospective adoptive family is in the child’s or youth’s best interest.
      3. An OAA or Letter of Intent is in the child’s or youth’s best interest. If so, discuss the process with the birth and prospective adoptive families, per the OAA or Letter of Intent policy.
    3. Identify the prospective adoptive families’ supports and determine if other supports or services are needed to meet the child’s or youth’s needs.
    4. Provide prospective adoptive families the following information in collaboration with adoption caseworkers regarding:
      1. Children or youth and their birth family, per the Identifying Adoptive Families policy.
      2. Adoption support, per the Pre-Adoption Services and Adoption Finalization policy.
      3. Adoption services, including information that could have an effect on parenting the child or youth. This is separate from discussions with the birth parents about an OAA.
    5. Inform families they may consult with a specialist in their community prior to:
      1. Agreeing to adopt children or youth.
      2. Signing the Family Genetic and Medical History-Adoption DCYF 13-041A form.
    6. Notify the prospective adoptive family that available health, mental health, education, and birth family history information and the Family Genetic and Medical History DCYF 13-041 form will be provided to them by the adoption caseworker prior to finalizing the adoption.
Recruitment for Children or Youth not in a Prospective Adoptive Placement
CFWS caseworkers must develop the recruiting and post-termination plan when children’s or youth’s current caregiver is not a prospective adoptive placement for them by:
1. Completing the Family Genetic and Medical History DCYF 13-041 form with the birth parents, if not completed.
2. Obtaining both the parent’s or guardians’ signatures for dependent children or youth on the Release and Consent for Child Specific Recruitment DCYF 09-611 form to allow recruitment to begin. This form is not used for legally-free children or youth. If approval is not obtained from both parents or guardians, inform them that DCYF will request a court order to begin recruitment.
3. Scheduling an APR when required with the individuals identified on the Guide to Shared Planning Meetings DCYF CWP_0070 publication.
4. Utilizing the following publications during the APR:
  1. Guide to Shared Planning Meetings DCYF CWP_0070.
  2. Child-Specific Recruitment Services in Washington State DCYF CWP_0054.
5. Obtaining a court order to begin recruitment services for dependent children and youth when signatures are not obtained by both parents or guardians on the Release and Consent for Child Specific Recruitment DCYF 09-611 form.
6. Documenting the recruiting and post termination plan in FamLink in one of the following forms:
  1. Court Report DCYF 09-095
  2. Shared Planning Meeting DCYF 14-474
7. Referring:
  1. Dependent children or youth to the:
    1. Recruitment resources selected on the Release and Consent for Child Specific Recruitment DCYF 09-611 form within seven calendar days after either:
      1. The APR, if the Release and Consent for Child Specific Recruitment DCYF 09-611 form was signed by both parents.
      2. Court approval.
    2. Adoption consortium, with both parents’ or guardians’ approval or when ordered by the court, by notifying the regional adoption program manager (RAPM) or designee of the following:
      1. Child’s or youth’s name
      2. Date of birth
      3. Case number
      4. Date of the WA Access registration
      5. WA Access registration number
    3. Selection committee when home studies for placement are received, per the Identifying Adoptive Families policy.
  2. Legally-free children or youth to:
    1. The appropriate recruitments services on the Child-Specific Recruitment Services in Washington State DCYF CWP_0054 publication within seven calendar days from the APR.
    2. Adoption consortium, by notifying the RAPM or designee of the following:
      1. Child’s or youth’s name
      2. Date of birth
      3. Case number
      4. Date of the WA Access registration
      5. WA Access registration number
    3. Selection committee when home studies for placement are received, per the Identifying Adoptive Families policy.