CFS PPM2
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5339 Best Interest Staffing

Adoption from foster care is a service for the child, and a Best Interest Staffing (BIS) is held to select an adoptive family that can best meet the needs of the child. A BIS shall be convened and facilitated by the Child Welfare Case Management Provider (CWCMP) unless an exception has been made.(See PPM 5340) Once an adoptive family is identified and deemed a viable option, a BIS shall be held without delay. 

  1. Prior to a Best Interest Staffing:
    1. If siblings are not being adopted together and have a permanency goal of adoption, the CWCMP shall document the reasons and complete a Sibling Split request, PPS 5147.  (See also Appendix 5I) The request shall be approved by Sibling Split Request Review Team, which shall include the CWCMP Director or designee.
    2. For children with no potential identified adoptive resource, the CWCMP shall seek to identify approved prospective adoptive families from the Kansas Adoption Exchange and AdoptUSKids to be considered in a best interest staffing for a specific child.  When selecting families to be considered in the BIS, the CWCMP shall exclude families who do not have the capacity to meet the child's emotional and social needs, but they shall not exclude families based solely on their race, color, or national origin. (See the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act in Section 5231).
    3. The CWCMP shall be responsible to schedule and provide notification to all attendees. All attendees shall be provided the Appendix 5S, Best Interest Staffing Brochure. 
    4. Persons who shall be invited to participate as a member of the BIS Team to provide input and reach consensus regarding selection of the adoptive family shall include:
      1. County or District Attorney or Designee;
      2. Child’s Guardian ad litem (GAL);
      3. Child’s current Case Manager;
      4. DCF Foster Care Liaison;
      5. Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) representative, if applicable;
      6. Court Services Officer, if applicable;
      7. Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) tribal representative for the affiliated tribe, if applicable;

Any member of the BIS Team not able to attend in person shall be included by conference call or video conference upon request. Input can also be submitted in writing prior to the staffing. Any member of the BIS Team may designate another individual within their agency to participate in their place.

The BIS Team shall include only one participant from any agency

5. Persons who may be invited to provide input for the BIS Team to consider include:

  1.          a.  The Youth if age 14 or older;
    1. A.  The child may choose to provide their input in an alternative method, such as in writing                           or through the verbal representation of another identified, trusted, person on their case                           team.
    2. B.If the child does not participate, the reason shall be documented and the Child Welfare Case                 Management Provider shall be responsible to communicate the youth’s perspective and                          input.
    3. b.  Assigned supervisors;
    4. c.  Child’s former Case Manager;
    5. d.  Child’s current or former Support Worker;
    6. e.  Child’s therapist;
    7. f.  Teacher or other adult (coach, scout leader, youth pastor etc.);
    8. g. Current placement resource, unless there is a conflict of interest,
    9. h.  Any other relevant service providers;
    10. i.  Worker for each family being considered;
    11. j.  Other identified positive supports or connections for the child.

 

                6.  For review prior to the BIS, The CWCMP shall submit documentation to the BIS Team which includes:

 

      1. Family Assessment and Preparation Study (PPS 5318), for each family being considered in the BIS;
      2. Child’s current social history (PPS 3114);
      3. Approved Sibling Split Request (PPS 5147), if applicable.  

 

  1. BIS Meeting Process
    1. The CWCMP shall present information about the child which includes the reason the child came into care, the completed child social history, the strengths and needs of the child, and the child’s/youth’s input. Attendees who know the child well may provide clarifying information and input as needed to ensure there is adequate knowledge presented for an informed decision regarding what is in the best interest of the child(ren).
    2. The worker for each family, in partnership with the writer of the PPS 5318, if not the same person, shall present an overview of the family information including their strengths, limitations, and needs. See PPS 5320, Family Match Form as well as the PPS 5318.
      1. Potential adoptive resources shall be given an opportunity to present the strengths of their family and discuss their desire and intent to provide permanency through adoption. They shall be given an opportunity to answer any clarifying questions as presented by other members of the case team, in a family friendly and solution focused manner.
      2. Potential adoptive resources shall not participate in the entire BIS, rather only the portion in which their family is being presented. They are not required to attend, however may provide information about their family through alternative means such as a family photo album, or letter to the team. The professional completing the PPS 5318 may present information on their behalf. Potential adoptive resources shall be given an opportunity to review the child(ren)’s social history; they shall not review the PPS 5318 for other families being considered as a potential adoptive resource.
  1. 3.  Attendees discuss selection of the adoptive resource which is in the best interest of the child(ren). All factors shall be considered in identifying which family can best meet the needs of the child(ren). Together,     attendees shall consider and document the impact of separation, loss, attachment, and subsequent               reattachments for the child as well as each family’s ability to:
      1. meet the needs and temperament of the child currently and over time;
      2. understand the current and future impact on their family of adopting this child;
      3. recognize and advocate for the needs/interests of the child;
      4. understand and support the child through loss and grieving issues;
      5. recognize adoption is a life-long commitment with many unknown challenges;
      6. provide the child with a safe and secure environment;
      7. provide unconditional love and acceptance of the child;
      8. accept and incorporate the child's emotional, physical, social, educational, and developmental needs into the family;
      9. demonstrate application of knowledge of the effects of deprivation, abuse and neglect on a child and the potential impact on the child's behavior;
      10. encourage the child(ren) to develop at his/her own rate to reach his/her maximum potential;
      11. accept and support the child's background, culture, ethnicity, heritage, race, medical and mental health needs, and genetic and social history;
      12. help the child to learn and accept his/her background;
      13. understand the importance of planning and facilitating child/children's future contact with siblings and/or other family members as deemed appropriate;
      14. manage their financial resources.

 

  1. 4.The BIS Team achieves consensus by working together towards an agreement through consideration of all input from attendees and proposed adoptive resources. A child’s GAL can provide input regardless of their participation in the BIS meeting. Consensus, for purposes of the BIS, is defined as the absence of objection from any member of the BIS Team.
  2. 5. Upon conclusion of the BIS, the CWCMP shall document the meeting and the decision that is achieved through consensus regarding selection of adoptive family that can best meet the needs of the child. Refer to PPM 5341.
    1. a. If additional information is needed for consensus to be reached, the BIS shall be reconvened by           phone or in person within 3 working days so a decision can be made. The new information                     gathered shall be documented on the PPS 5341 Best Interest Staffing Report and Approval                   Materials shall be reviewed  prior to the BIS.
  3.     b. If consensus is not achieved within 3 working days of the original BIS date, the CWCMP shall                        make the final decision regarding what is in the best interest of the child within 24 hours.
  4.  6. Documentation of the BIS Decision:
  5.      a. The Child Welfare Case Management Provider shall document the BIS decision on the PPS 5341                 Best Interest Staffing Report and Approval.
  6.             b.Within 3 working days of the BIS, the CWCMP shall send the child’s complete packet as noted in                   PPM 5339.A.4., the PPS 5341 and the chosen prospective Adoptive Family Assessment to the                       CWCMP Program Director, or designee.
  7. C.  On occasion, new information may arise after the BIS is concluded and the decision has been approved.        If the new information may impact the decision, that information shall be provided by the CWCMP to all          members of the BIS Team.  After receipt of this information the team shall:

1.  Allow the BIS decision to stand or,

2. Reconvene the BIS to discuss the new information and reconsider the BIS decision. If the information                   causes the team to choose a different adoptive family, that decision shall be documented on the PPS                   5341 and routed through to the CWCMP Program Director, or designee, for approval.