When children are placed in the custody of the Secretary for out of home placement, birth and background information shall be collected and documented on the PPS 5340 by the first case planning conference. The form shall be signed by the mother and father, but information may be collected from other family members, if needed. The PPS 5340 is used as a tool throughout the life of a case to obtain information about the family and the child that assists in case planning. The information on this form may be helpful for medical professionals and other providers who provide treatment of the child in out of home placement, and it provides information concerning the family's support systems, including relative and non-related kin.
The PPS 5340 is part of the information required if a child's case progresses to termination of parental rights. Completion of this form helps the child progress to adoption and shall include information from both the birth mother's and birth father's families of origin. If this information is not available, reasons shall be documented in the case file. The information, if requested, is shared with the adoptee once they become an adult.