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Policy Manual
ADOPTIONS
Selection of Adoptive Family

48-14-6.1
Permanency Planning Team

Permanency Planning Teams:
  • Permanency Planning Team (this page)
  • Functions of Permanency Planning Team Members
  • Team Process
  • Selection Method
  • Forms for Permanency Planning

 

48-14-6.1
48-14-6.2
48-14-6.3
48-14-6.4
48-14-6.5

 

Purpose of the Team Final selection of a prospective adoptive home by an Adoption Specialist shall be made through the process of shared decision making involving a regional or sub-regional Permanency Planning Team (PPT).

Such shared decision making in matching a child free for adoption with an adoptive family increases the likelihood that the best plan for each child will be made. The team’s decision will have life long ramifications for the child(ren) in the Department’s care.

In addition to matching children free for adoption with an appropriate adoptive family, there are other optional uses for the team, such as providing adoption readiness case consultation.

See below for "Criteria For Team Review".
Team Composition and Function The Permanency Planning Team shall include the following persons:
  • the child's worker and supervisor
  • adoption specialist
  • OFAS worker
  • regional manager
  • others, as appropriate, including those who are knowledgeable and experienced in selecting adoptive placements or who are informed about the child.
Reviewing the Needs of Children Consideration shall be given to providing a comprehensive and systematic approach to reviewing the needs of all children who are free for adoption. Collaboration with persons knowledgeable in the field of Child Welfare and adoption practice including Social Workers and supervisory staff, community representatives and adoptive parents is considered essential in ensuring that the best plan for each child will be made.
Racial and Ethnic Make-Up The racial and ethnic make-up of the team at large should represent the population which the region serves.
Criteria for Team Review The following adoption categories will be reviewed by the Permanency Planning Team:
  • proposed non-related adoption placement
  • proposed foster parent adoption
  • proposed legal risk adoptive placement.

The team may also be used in the following case circumstances:

  • specialized recruitment efforts
  • assistance with concurrent planning by
  • identifying appropriate legal risk homes in order to move children into permanency more quickly
  • providing adoption readiness consultation in order to ensure that as permanency plans are being made, the ability of the child to move into an adoptive placement can be made earlier
  • permanency planning; i.e., reunification vs. filing for Termination of Parental Rights
  • proposed relative placement or relative guardianship.
Gathering Information for Referral The effectiveness of the Permanency Planning Team will, to a large extent, be dependent upon the information furnished by the child's worker. Information should be gathered from foster parents, teachers, therapists and others. The more complete the data, the more informed the matching process will be.

A photograph of the child is required.
Referral Packet The Social Worker shall complete a referral packet for submission to the team, including the following forms:
  • Permanency Planning Team Referral Form (DCF-2043)
  • Child-Teaming Pre-Questionnaire (DCF-2044)
  • Child’s Registration (DCF-336)
  • Child Assessment (DCF-2039)
  • Genetic Parent(s) Information (DCF-337B)
  • Medical Information On Genetic Parent(s) (DCF-338B)
  • Psychological, medical, school and other reports.

Note: If home studies are referred to the Social Worker and their supervisor and they are not appropriate, the child will still need to be teamed for specialized recruitment efforts.

Cross-Reference: For a complete list of forms used in the Permanency Planning Team process, see policy 48-14-6.5 .

Number of Home Studies to be Reviewed If a Social Worker receives more than five (5) home studies for a child, the Social Worker and Supervisor shall select a minimum of five (5) of the studies to be reviewed for a child involving non-related adoptions.

If four (4) or less home studies are sent for the child, all the home studies sent shall be reviewed.

The studies, along with the child's referral packet, will be distributed to each team member for review five (5) working days prior to the meeting date.
Foster Parent Adoption If a foster parent is interested in adopting the foster child, the foster home study shall always be considered by the team if the following conditions apply:
  • the child has been in continuous placement with the foster family for one (1) year or more

or

  • the child has been in non-continuous placement with the foster family for a total of two (2) or more years of actual placement.

If the foster home is not approved as an adoptive home for the child, another team meeting should be scheduled to consider a non-related adoption.
Written Record For each child reviewed by the team, a written record will be maintained on the Permanency Planning Team Report (DCF-2045), which shall identify the names of prospective adoptive families.

The reason(s) why each family was not selected for that particular child shall be noted on the Report of Non-Use Of Adoptive Home (DCF-431), and a copy should be attached to the Permanency Planning Team Report (DCF-2045).
Review of Families If any family has been identified as a prospective placement resource on six (6) different occasions, but has not been selected for any child by the regional office Permanency Planning Team, the family will be reviewed by the team.

The purpose of the review will be to specify areas of concern and to determine if these concerns can be addressed and ameliorated.
Team Approval The team recommendation for a placement will be binding unless the worker and supervisor have additional information to present for consideration.

No change in the agreed upon placement plan can occur without the team's awareness and approval.
Miscellaneous Requirements The following are miscellaneous requirements concerning the Permanency Planning Team:
  • A priority list of children/youth to be reviewed will be maintained by the Permanency Planning Team Chairperson
  • A log of children and families reviewed will be maintained by the Permanency Planning Team Chairperson.
  • The Office of Foster and Adoption Services will keep the team apprised of placements.
  • Any disrupted placements will be shared with the team.

 Connecticut Department of Children and Families          Effective Date: December 15, 1999 (Revised)