| Probate Court Approval Required |
CONN. GEN. STAT. §45a-727, permits adoption placement of
children who have been identified or located by prospective adoptive parents. Regulations
45-63, Sections 1-10 inclusive, implement this statutory change. If any such placement is
not made in accordance with these regulations, the Probate Court will not approve the
adoption application. |
| Home Study and Licensure/ Approval |
The law continues to require a home study and
licensure/approval of a prospective adoptive family, as well as placement of the child by
a licensed child-placing agency. Contact with the child-placing agency for the purpose of
requesting a home study is the first step to be taken by prospective adoptive parents
interested in initiating the identification process. After completing the
licensure/approval process and receipt of approval for placement, the prospective adoptive
parents can proceed to search and/or locate a child by networking with friends, relatives,
ministers, etc. No placement of a child for the purpose of adoption can be made unless the
home is licensed/approved by a child placing agency.
Note: Private or independent adoption continue to be prohibited by
law. |
| No Payment for Identification |
No payment can be made to a person, persons, association,
corporation, or any other entity for the identification or location of a child [CONN. GEN.
STAT. §45-63-3(a)]. |
| Other Requirements |
Counselling for the birth mother is required, whether she
resides in-state or out-of-state [CONN. GEN. STAT. 45-63-7 inclusive]. Counselling for the
birth father is optional. Affidavit/Consent to Termination of Parental Rights
(JD-JM-60) must be completed by a birth parent [CONN. GEN. STAT. §45a-727(e)].
Completion of birth parent social and medical history forms (DCF-337 and DCF-338) is
required [CONN. GEN. STAT. §45-63-7(c)(5)]. |
| Children Residing Out-of-State |
If a child resides out-of-state, the Interstate Compact on
the Placement of Children [CONN. GEN. STAT. §17a-175] or placement of a child from
another state [CONN. GEN. STAT. §17a-152] may need to be adhered to. A full exploration
of the laws of the state in which the birth parent(s) and child reside is necessary to
ensure compliance with that state's laws and Connecticut's laws and regulations. The
child-placing agency will guide all parties through the Interstate Compact process. |
| Department's Non-Involvement |
The Department of Children and Families does not participate
in the identified adoption process. |
