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Policy
Manual
ADOPTIONS
Adoption Placement Process
48-15-7
Pre-Placement Visits
| Policy |
Pre-placement steps are necessary in preparing the adoptive
parents, foster parents or residential staff, and the child. |
| Initial Visit |
The initial visit of the adoptive parents in the foster home
with the Social Worker is a time to meet the child, look at the environment in which
he/she has been living, and make the decision to commit to an adoptive placement. |
| Service Agreement |
Before the visits begin, service agreements regarding the
number of visits and the time frames can be written and signed by adoptive parents, foster
parents and Social Worker, and the child if he/she is old enough. |
| Foster Parent Support |
Foster parents' support is important to help the child
establish a relationship with the new family and as a source of information for the
adoptive family. |
| Visiting Schedule |
When setting up the visiting schedule, the emotional and
developmental needs of the child must be considered. For example, the younger the
child, the shorter the time frame between each pre-placement visit. This does not mean,
however, that the number of visits is less. Generally, the first visit or first several
visits take place in the foster home/residential facility with the adoptive parents
eventually taking the child outside the foster home/facility and increasing the time to a
day visit at the home of the adoptive parents.
As the visits progress and if the child and adoptive family feel comfortable with each
other, depending on the age of the child, several overnight visits should be made prior to
placement at the new home.
Note: The most important factor to be accomplished during
pre-placement visits is for the child to feel safe and connected to the adoptive family
before he/she goes there to live. |
| Foster Parents Role in Pre-Placement
Visiting |
Foster parents have a big role to play in this placement
process, and can be the best help when they give the child permission to go. They need
to give the message to the child, both by words and behavior, that they sanction this move
to an adoptive home and approve of the new parents. |
| Summary |
The pre-placement visiting can be a source of conflict but is
very important and purposeful. Visiting provides the time to help:
•the child and family get acquainted
•restate the original information about the child
•exchange necessary school, medical and therapeutic information
•set up support services
•prepare for the separation for caretakers, friends and other important people
•establish the family ground rules, and
•begin to make new relationships and for all parties to assess the appropriateness
and progress of the placement.
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Connecticut Department of Children and Families Issued:
March 1, 1994
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